There is a post on the main Phoenix web site about the trails for under 14, 16, 19 to be held at Deeside in July.
Further trails for the younger teams to follow.

£5.00 for the privilage.

Just had a thought.
Have junior coaches been appointed all ready???

they said previously

'At one point, we weren’t sure we could accomplish a Junior programme this year but, we’ve received some excellent assistance and any number of positive, pro-active ideas and now we're determined to forge ahead to get as many youngsters as possible involved in on-ice activities'

I'm suspecting one or two people from the old junior club might be involved already with coaches (obviously ?) to be in place by 1 July.

I wonder if Nipper has applied for a coaching job???

I'm not clear on the purpose of the trials - are Phoenix now going to ice junior teams competitively?

Also what does "streaming" mean - are they talking about ability as well as age?

I would think that the trials indicate that there will be junior teams competing out of the new rink next season. Even if the rink isn't complete in time for the start of the season, the first games could be played on the road. And with regards to training...Deeside rink costs sod all to rent and they have at least a few hours free time each day. (That's if the Alti rink is not avaliable for training until the season has begun...for example, there is no use of the ice at Deeside after 6pm on a Sunday now that the Freeze have no remaining games).

Still not clear on the streaming...and is the trial schedule in keeping with registering deadlines for teams and players?

Not at all sure about the 'streaming' either, but as far as I can remember registration for junior's run September - August (Age groups run according to the education year group of the child)...I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong!!!

And with 300 juniors on the books at 5 pounds a time a nice little earner lol

It all goes in Neils pocket

Junior team ages groups are based on a cut off date of 31 Dec each year - eg a child whose is under the age of 14 on 31 December 2006 will be eligible for Under 14s during 2006/07 season. Registrations for Junior teams normally run from 1 Aug with league fixtures starting at the beginning of September.

I'd assume that the 'streaming' mentioned in the Phoenix announcement relates to the ability of players in each group - with 300 'potential' players, they'll need to 'stream' players into A and B teams or developers depending upon ability.

That's really helpful Martin, I guess the only question I have left is what's the deadline for a club stating its intention to put a team in a junior league?

Good Question - I believe that new teams entering the Junior leagues are normally one of the agenda items at the EIHA AGM and the Junior/U19s AGM takes place on Sat 10 June.

I'd hope that Phoenix have made their intentions known. No doubt there will be some leeway given as the Elite league teams are affiliated to the EIHA but Phoenix will be short of time to complete registrations if trials aren't starting until July.

How ever flexible the league is when are the juior fixtures released so these teams can find there respective ice time.

Sureley if they have not applied for teams to be added to league they are going to struggle to play in a competitive league due to something as simple as fixture lists being announced before trials are completed for all age groups

Normally the league fixtures secretary approaches the clubs or in some cases the rink management for timeslots for the whole season and then allocates fixtures accordingly. Most teams appear to play each other at similar times each season with the only exceptions being the addition of teams that have been promoted or relegated. The fixtures are usually announced in August. Time will be tight especially with no definite date for rink availability.

It will be easiest to enter just one team at each group for the first season. No matter how many teams are entered, they will all have to play in Division 2 in each age group.You can't have two teams in the same Division from one club but the way round this is to create teams with different names and run them separately. For example Coventry have Coventry Junior Blaze and then Mercian Menace for their 'B' teams. However it's going to be difficult enough getting one club up and running, never mind two!

And it is a shame that they appear not to be incoporateing the town of Altrincham within the junior teams.

Yes Mancester Phoenix is a established name brand off the ice and can understand them staying with this name.

Yet it would of been nice for local youngsters to play under the Altrincham banner out of Altrincham even if they are called Altrincham Phoenix as they will be all new teams replaceing the old teams playing at this level out of the town.

Not a brand name relocateing to Altrincham

It would have been nice for the teams to have some Alty connection.

But, the idea is to have an integrated club, from the ground up, ergo, all the teams will play as the Manchester Phoenix (witht any suffixes as appropriate, eg U-16, ENl, Womens, etc).

The whole farce just makes me sick the whole point of getting a rink at alty was for the juniors and the Aces figure skaters, speed skaters etc.

And now I suppose they will be asking some of the Aces to coach the juniors and not have any ice there themselves what a load of ****.

IMO the council have alot to answer for in all this as if they had upheld the covenant and not had it rescinded in a private/public meeting with people who had interests in this happening no one would be in this situation. A rink would have been in place before the old one was pulled down with the Aces and all the juniors in place.

What happened to their strap line local facilities for local people!!!!

Is there an echo in here?

Perhaps the question should be asked whether practice ice time will be bookable for senior players e.g. ex Aces who would play at the rink if they could but as things stand are forced to play elsewhere.

Would at least reduce travel to their current host rinks just for practice sessions.

It would do but the team should practice as a team to get the best results and players who play locally in other rinks couldn't be expected to travel to Alty to train when they can do so locally. It would be good however to have "drop in" sessions like they do in the states and Canada where players can go along, pay and have a skate and a scrimmage. Would help individual fitness. Pretty similar to rec team training now. I guess that's better than nothing. The rink, at the end of the day could run this themselves as a cash generator and charge a fiver for an hour and a half or saomething like that. Don't know how many people you would get if they charged much more than that though.