skip navigation

Steel City Selects Expands Program to Five Teams for the 2017-2018 Season

By Webmaster, 08/08/17, 2:15PM EDT

Share

12U and 16U- Teams to Hit the Ice This Season

Capitalizing on the continuing growth of womens hockey in Western Pennsylvania, Steel City Selects has added a 12U and a 16U- team to our organization, increasing the number of teams from three to five.  By establishing these additional teams we are supporting our mission to help take local girl’s hockey to the next level.

Steel City Selects has been receiving requests for the past few seasons to add a 12U team to our program and the interest intensified as tryout season neared.  Additionally, during our tournament this past February, several visiting teams asked if we would add a 12U division to the tournament in 2018. These two factors convinced the SCS Board that 2017-2018 was the time to make the leap.

"We are thrilled to have so many talented and passionate girls ready to represent SCS at the 12U level!” commented SCS President, Eileen Granata.  “The 12U team will also help secure the future success of SCS.  If we can bring 11 and 12 year olds into our program and gradually introduce them to the SCS coaches, systems, and other players, they will be able to move seamlessly onto one of our National-bound teams when they get older.  Our plan is for our new 12Us to be ready to represent SCS at Nationals in couple of years and for many years to come! “

The 12U team will play a half-season schedule of approximately 20 games, primarily in the local area.  This schedule will allow the girls to play on another team, if they wish.  Many of the girls will continue to play on coed house teams around the Pittsburgh area.

While the roster is nearing capacity, there is still room for one or two more players.  “We’re keeping our eyes open for any additional players who might complement our current group of girls,” said 12U Head Coach, Julie Saibena.  “But if we need to enter the season with our roster as it stands now, there will be no issue.  These girls are talented and ready to play!”

While the possibility of adding a 12U team had been floating around SCS for some time, the addition of our 16U- team was born of necessity.

At tryouts in April, SCS had a large number of Tier II caliber players try out for the 14U and 16U teams. 

"We had an overwhelming response at tryouts for the 14U and 16U levels and realized that these players were well trained by their local rinks and ready to complete at a higher level with additional training and conditioning," explained Granata.  

"We were extremely excited to see the growth of girls' hockey at this age group and felt compelled to create a place for them to continue to grow in skills and Hockey IQ. Because we can only offer one National-bound team at the 16U level, we built a program specifically for this group of girls that will mirror the same training as our National bound teams and provide a high level of competition and exposure."

The SCS 16- team is composed of girls at both the 14U and 16U age levels and has players with previous Tier II experience (with SCS or elsewhere) as well as players who are ready to make the move up to Tier II.  The team will play a full 40-50 game season and have the same development expectations of the other SCS teams. 

Brian Vogel, the Head Coach of the new 16U- team is excited to coach this group of young women, “After working with the girls during our summer boot camp and the first few practices, it is apparent that this team will have no trouble representing SCS with class both on and off the ice. “ 


Notes: 

Information about Coaches Saibena and Vogel, as well as all the head coaches for the 2017-2018 season, is available on our Coaches page.

There will be a 12U division at the Steel City Girls Invitational Tournament in February.  Check out our Tournament page for all the information and to register.