| |
NATIVE
SON
SPARKLES
IN
HOCKEY
By
Raymond
Rolak/Tell
Us
Detroit
 DETROIT
-- It
will be
a
homecoming
for
Rochester
Institute
of
Technology
sophomore,
forward,
Cameron
Burt.
The NCAA
Men’s
Frozen
Four
will be
held at
Ford
Field
and RIT
will be
making
their
first
appearance
against
Wisconsin,
Thursday
at 5:00
PM. The
game
will be
broadcast
on ESPN.
Miami
and
Boston
College
will
square
off in
the 8:30
PM game.
This
will be
a first
for Ford
Field
also. It
is the
first
sanctioned
hockey
game
ever to
be
played
at Ford
Field.
Burt,
RIT’s
leading
scorer
(16-31-47),
got his
first
taste of
travel
hockey
at Jack
Adams
Arena,
playing
in the
Detroit
Hockey
Association.
The
Detroit
PSL
(CMA)
graduate
went on
to play
for the
Green
Bay
Gamblers
in the
USHL for
his
junior
experience.
Burt’s
success
is a
testimonial
to the
vision
of the
pioneers
in
Detroit
hockey.
The
Detroit
Recreation
Department
was
always
at the
forefront.
Hockey
support
from
names
like
Ilitch,
Adray
and
Karmanos
helped.
From St.
Clair
Shores
to
Trenton
and all
around
Metro
Detroit,
no one
can
argue…….This
is
Hockeytown.
The DHA
has had
a
storied
tradition
of
producing
college
players
for well
over 60
years.
It was
52 years
ago that
Willie
O’Ree
played
for the
Boston
Bruins
and
became
the
first
black
man to
make his
mark in
the NHL.
O’Ree,
now 74
heads up
the
NHL’s
inner-city
and
ethnic
neighborhood
program
to
develop
hockey
interest
in urban
areas.
This is
the 12th
year for
the NHL
diversity
plan.
O’Ree
said,
“These
programs
are
working,
we
started
in four
cities
and are
now in
40
locations
throughout
the
States
and
Canada.”
He
added,
“Every
boy or
girl has
natural
ability,
they
just
need the
opportunity.”
The NCAA
has
always
had an
ambassadorial
approach
in
hockey.
Successful
effort
is
rewarded,
regardless
of
background.
The
University
of
Michigan
and
Michigan
State
always
embraced
minorities.
Former
Michigan
coach Al
Renfrew
said,
“Just
look to
Mel
Wakabayashi
as an
example.”
Referring
to his
All-America
center
on his
1964
NCAA
Champion
team.
The late
“Godfather”
of
hockey
in
Minnesota,
John
Mariucci,
echoed
similar
thoughts
when he
coached
the
Gophers.
At any
speaking
engagement
he would
rally
the
hockey
cause by
saying,
“Anyone
can play
hockey
at an
elite
level if
given
the
chance,
and we
just
need
10,000
rinks.”
His
belief
and
determination
that
everyone
has a
right to
play
hockey,
including
women,
was
reinforced
by the
recent
Olympic
medal
success.
Walter
Bush
encouraged
diversity
and
Hockey
USA
carries
that
vision
on an
inter-national
level
today.
The City
of
Detroit
has had
a surge
of new
hockey
interest.
Besides
the
Detroit
Jack
Adams
indoor
rink,
the
Detroit
Clark
Park
outdoor
rink has
benefitted
from the
NHL
program.
Each
February,
the DHA
hosts a
national
invitational
tournament
as part
of
Hockey
Day in
Michigan
titled
“Hockey
in the
Hood”.
This
week,
Hockeytown
and
Detroit
will be
much
more
than
Hockey
Central.
On April
9, there
will be
a NCAA
player’s
skill
contest
and the
Hobey
Baker
Award
will be
announced
at Ford
Field.
On April
10, as
part of
the
Frozen
Four,
USA
Hockey
will be
hosting
a Level
III
Coaches
Clinic
at the
Ren-Cen.
Pre-Registration
is
required.
Also,
during
the
April
8-10,
NCAA
Finals,
the CCHA
is
hosting
a free
Fan Fest
at the
GM
Winter
Garden,
also in
the
Ren-Cen.
As a
legacy
project,
the NCAA
has
instituted
a book
drive.
Partnered
with the
Detroit
Local
Organizing
Committee
and the
Detroit
Public
Schools
Foundation,
the
Frozen
Four
will
have
deposit
locations
for new
or
gently
used
books at
Ford
Field
-Gates
A, B or
G and
the
Marriott
Renaissance
Hotel
lobby
and GM
Winter
Garden.
The
popular
NCAA
Yes-Clinic
presented
by the
college
coaches
has been
eliminated
this
year.
It is
very
appropriate
that
Burt
will be
center
stage.
He has
earned
his
accolades.
RIT
coach
Wayne
Wilson
brags
about
him
saying,
“He has
great
offensive
instincts
and is
smart
with the
puck. He
is our
go-to
guy this
year.”
Wisconsin
has the
history,
winning
two NCAA
titles
in
Detroit
previously.
RIT is
the hot
team,
winning
their
last 12
games.
Wisconsin
will
probably
have
more
support
in the
stadium.
Cameron
Burt
will get
the most
enthusiastic
reaction.
A great
big
Thank
You is
in order
to all
the
Hockey
Dad’s
and
Hockey
Mom’s,
of Metro
Detroit.
PAST and
PRESENT.
All in
all,
HOCKEY
gets the
victory.
Tickets…Get
Your
Tickets!
Be a
part of
history…tickets
are
still
available!
Fans
that
have
purchased
tickets
to the
2010
NCAA®
Men’s
Frozen
Four®
will be
part of
record
crowd.
The
current
NCAA
Men’s
Frozen
Four
attendance
record
is
19,432
at St.
Louis’
Scottrade
Center
in 2007
when
Michigan
State
University
defeated
Boston
College
to
capture
the NCAA
championship.
Ticket
sales
are
currently
at
30,000+
with a
Ford
Field
seating
capacity
of near
36,000.
|
