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WE WANT YOU!
Hey Polar Cap Families. We are moving quickly through another great year of youth hockey. We have welcomed many new skaters to the club and others are again preparing for a successful finish at state tournaments. As our hockey season ends our board would love to hear how things are going. Our annual meeting is just two months away. This would be a great opportunity to share any comments or suggestions as to how we can continue being one of the largest and most successful youth hockey programs in Wisconsin. Now all of you are the face and voice of our club. Please consider bringing your experience, strengths and ideas to the board and club by running for the opening board positions. If you would like more details please visit the Documents tab above and open the West Madison Polar Caps Bylaws document. There you will find the descriptions of each board position. Feel free to contact any of us with any questions you may have. Have a great finish to the season and we hope to hear from all of you soon.
Up Coming Club Events
Update on Responsible Sports
The West Madison Polar Caps did an amazing job in the run for the Responsible Sports Community Grant. I was watching the site yesterday as our numbers sored. Thanks to the support of our Polar Cap Families, we ended the night with 607 fans, to put us firmly in the lead. Over the next several weeks, the Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports Team checks all the entrants to make sure that every "i" is dotted and every "t" is crossed. Rest assured as soon as I know something you will too.
Thanks again to all of our parents and fans who participated!
Go Caps
PUCKS AND PATRIOTS
POLARCAPS HONOR THEIR MILITARY PERSONNEL
If you've read your November issue of USA Hockey Magazine, you have seen the wonderful spread they did on military personnel and their connections to the hockey world. In honor of Veteran's Day November 11th we thought we would honor some of our own men and women in uniform. Have a soldier to include? Send me a photo or brief blurb and we will gladly add them to the page!
A sincere thank you on behalf of all the Polarcaps to all of the military personnel who serve our country. Your efforts are appreciated!
Amy Mosher-Garvey
President, Polarcaps
Lt Col Glen Messner
Pictured: Lt. Col. Glen Messner with cross-icer Charlie Frey, Glen's daughter Anna and a friend CeCe
Lieutenant Colonel Glen Messner is an F-16 Pilot for the WI Air National Guard, and currently flies with the 115th Fighter Squadron at Truax Field, Madison, Wisconsin. Glen and his wife, Joni, are the proud parents of Mick Messner (former Polarcap and current Capitol) along with 3 girls: Molly, Kate & Anna Sally. They reside in Madison.
Colonel Erik Peterson
Col. Erik Peterson
Colonel Erik Peterson is an F-16 Pilot for the WI Air National Guard, and currently the Operations Group Commander for the 115th Fighter Squadron at Truax Field, Madison, Wisconsin. Colonel Peterson is a combat veteran of multiple deployments to Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Peterson has 21 years of serving active duty and National Guard combined. For the last ten years he has been a proud member of the Air National Guard and community of Madison, Wisconsin. Erik Peterson is the father of eight children, 4 boys and 4 girls. All four boys are actively involved in the West Madison Polar Cap program. Konur, Bantam; Erik and Hakon, RWB; and, Thor X-Ice.
Marc Joyal
Marc Joyal stands in front of a tent in Udairi while deployed
Marc Joyal has over 22 years of military experience including 18 years in the Wisconsin National Guard. His last post was as a Headquarters Company First Sergeant, 1SG (E8). During his career he was deployed during Operation Iraqui Freedom and received a Bronze star in 2003. Marc is also an active volunteer and was involved in the Polarcaps fro over 17 years He is also a past president of the club. Marc also started the Midvale Heights Community Baseball League in 1994. Marc's latest endeavors include coaching our Squirt C team and running Crossovers Pro Shop at the rink.
Thanks for coming out to skate with the Polar Caps
On Saturday November 5th we hosted a Try Hockey for Free Day at our rink. Many area children came out to skate with our club and shoot a few pucks around. Everyone had a great time working with the kids and we saw many smiles on the ice. We hope you enjoyed the experience and we look forward to seeing you all soon. Please visit the Executive Board link to find any contact information you may need. We are always happy to answer any questions. Thanks again and Go Polar Caps Youth Hockey!
Club Happenings
Great Wreaths
The Rose Wreath company once again is offering to share profits with us and offer a fundraising sale that's an easy sell. Grab a brochure and order form next to the concession stand at MIA.
fresh edges, fresh gear, freshening service!
Crossovers Pro Shop would like to welcome all Polar Caps players and families to the 2011 hockey season. The Joyal family has opened Crossovers Pro Shop, and we are looking forward to meeting your hockey equipment and service needs. We offer new and used equipment, professional skate sharpening and equipment sanitizing/deodorizing.
We use a state of the art Blademaster Skate Sharpener found in many NHL locker rooms to help you fine tune your skates to bring out your best effort on the ice. And we’d love to introduce you to the “Fresh Gear Cyclone” ozone equipment sanitizing and deodorizing machine. Does your equipment have that familiar hockey “funk?” The Cyclone kills bacteria in your equipment that causes that foul smell. Give it a try; you’ll be glad you did.
Be sure to take advantage of our “home ice advantage” discount skate sharpening card (pay for 10 and get 3 free), and also get $10 off the regular price of full service equipment sanitizing/deodorizing (regular $29.95).
Stop in, browse around and let us know what you think. If there is something you’d like to see in the shop just let us know and we’ll do our best to get it.
We look forward to serving you. See you at the rink!
Marc Joyal, Owner
Crossovers Pro Shop, LLC
crossoversproshop.com
608.442.0009
Life after Bantams
After all the time and energy we invest throughout the youth hockey experience it seems that life after Bantams can get a little cumbersome. In Wisconsin we push those of our skaters who are able to do so to play high school, leaving many skaters in a position that if they don't make high school there isn't a clear path for continuing to play. This is especially difficult when your skater's high school does not offer JV level hockey. The jump to Varsity as a freshman is difficult.
For several years now we have tried to create a JV-like experience for our Polarcap skaters that find themselves not ready for high school but too old for Bantams. Once again this year, however, we find ourselves unable to field a team given our numbers at this level. Memorial high school has already indicated that their numbers are so low that they will likely take all candidates that wish to play. We have also lost a number of second year Bantams to the Capitals, leaving our numbers even lower and pulling freshman skaters who could have played on the HS Development team (our name for JV) to other venues. Such is the world of hockey.
While I firmly believe that our strong recruiting after this year's freshman class will change the landscape of hockey in future years, we aren't there yet. The best possible option for our club in the given circumstances is to leave all of our Bantams at the Bantam level and combine our Midget-aged skaters with Southwest's Midget program as we did last year. I think the families who partiicpated in hockey with Mike OBrien with Southwest last year would have many positive things to say about the experience their kids had.
Mike and I have been in contact and he informs me that his team will take the ice for the first time on 10/11/11 at 7:40pm at ENIA. All interested Midgets should attend and skate. PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE YOUR SKATER REGISTERED WITH USA HOCKEY BEFORE TAKING THE ICE. You can feel free to register with the Polarcaps through our website--any monies paid to us can be transferred directly to SW if you choose to skate there. If your skater is trying out for high school hockey you have the option of making a partial payment until you know if your skater is given a spot on the HS team.
You do not need a release to play with Southwest if you are midget-age. We will not be fielding a team at this clasification and therefore you may go where you choose. Mike has told me that they will also be accepting some skaters from Stoughton and so we will not be applying for a co-op. The SW team will be classified as a HS2 team as they were last year.
Midgets are welcome to attend Polarcap preseason ice with the Bantams until October 11th.
If you have questions please don't hesitate to contact me.
Welcome to the home of the West Madison Polar Caps!
All families need to click here to Create an Account on the NGIN platform or find the link in the top left hand corner of this page.
All email addresses you wish to use need to be added to each player's profile, so you get updates for each team.
Please keep checking News, Executive Board Meeting Minutes and calendar for events and happenings in the club.
