Team Wisconsin (Boys) U-18 / U-16
(U-18 2002 USA Hockey National Champions)
This season will be Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association’s 9th year for the Team Wisconsin before and after Tier 1 USA Hockey Midget program. Team Wisconsin assembles the best midget age players to play on either the under-18 or the under-16 teams. The “before” season is made up of a 24 game fall league schedule which runs from September through the last weekend of October, which includes a league playoff tournament. In November, the players return to their respective high school teams and play their normal season. The “after” season begins after the high school state tournament with participation in the USA Hockey Tier 1 Midget National playoffs.
Team Wisconsin’s goal is to give the players a junior level game development with maximum exposure to NHL, college, and junior scouts. It’s not uncommon to see 30-40 scouts per day in the elite league. The Upper Midwest High School Elite League (U-18) and the Elite 2 (U-16) truly represent the best of the best from North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. In the league, all games are played on Saturday and Sunday in a round robin format. Some games are played in D1 facilities such as the Kohl Center with 20 minute periods for the U-18’s and 17 minutes periods for the U-16’s. NHL scouts rank the Upper Midwest High School Elite League the highest in comparable development in the nation. Elite high school players that play in the league have a great reason to stay home and finish their high school experience. Every year more and more players are electing to stay home and play in the best fall venue in the nation. Any player with whose parent’s residence is in the state of Wisconsin is eligible to tryout. Many of the players that played in the new Wisconsin High School Elite League last year will be trying out for Team Wisconsin. For elite league information see www.hselitehockey.com and www.elite2hockey.com. Also visit www.teamwisconsin.net for a list of TW players that have moved to the next level. The Wisconsin High School Elite League will have online registration available at a later date at www.wahahockey.com. Tryout opportunities will be in the July – August timeframe.
To find the results of the program you can look at the junior and college rosters. Wisconsin has produced more players in the last 8 years than any other period. In fact, there were over a hundred Wisconsin players playing college hockey during the 2006-07 season. Team Wisconsin has worked with the high school programs to produce more junior and college players than any other program in the state. During the 2005-06 playing season 2 players received scholarships and 2 were drafted by the NHL before playing their first junior game. Scouts that see Team Wisconsin players in the elite league also follow them during their high school season.
Finally, senior class high school players that make the spring Team Wisconsin Showcase tryout will be part of the Chicago Showcase experience and will get an added bonus to their development and exposure. The Showcase just finished its 23rd year and remains one of the top scouting venues in the nation. When you add it all up there is a lot to like about Team Wisconsin and Wisconsin Amateur Hockey.
The 2005-06 UW Badgers had 14 players from Wisconsin and 10 of those players have played for Team Wisconsin. The state also has the some of the best Division III hockey in the nation and many players have also moved on to play in the NCHA and the MCHA.
2007 Team Wisconsin Open Tryouts – 1st Step
Greenheck Field House 6400 Alderson St. Schofield, WI 54476
Tryout registration is open, but not unlimited. WAHA reserves the right to close the
tryout at any time.
REGISTRATION IS CLOSED
U-18 tryout birth years (1989 & 1990) = Saturday & Sunday May 26-27. CLOSED! Deadline Monday May 20st-- No refunds
U-16 tryout birth years (1991 & 1992) = Saturday & Sunday June 2-3. CLOSED! Deadline Monday May 27th-- No refunds
Please use a debit/cash card (from a checking account) or a credit card. The cost is $75.00 each tryout.
All players will be notified by email of their schedule no later than the Thursday before the tryout.
All players must have USA Hockey Insurance after September 1, 2006 (USA Hockey Individual Membership Registration = IMR). If not, participants will have to purchase the insurance using manual forms at the tryout. A player that purchases USA Hockey Insurance at the tryout will be covered for the 2007-08 season as well. The cost is $40.00. Note any players that participated in the 2006 fall Wisconsin High School Elite League, 2006-07 before & after Tier 1 or Tier 2 midget teams or the 2007 WAHA Bantam Midget Tryouts / Festivals already have USA Hockey Insurance coverage until Sept 1st, 2007.
Last year Team Wisconsin added even more to the development picture for midget age players. Thirty four players (4 goalies, 12 defensemen, and 18 forwards) will be selected from each Schofield tryout (total 68 players) to participate in a High Performance Development Camp in Stevens Point, Wisconsin on June 29th – July 1st. This camp will be the final step in the Team Wisconsin tryout process.
The 68 players selected for the High Performance Development Camp will be notified by email no later than the evening of Wednesday June 6th. The cost is $150.00. Players must commit to the camp immediately by email and send a money order made out to Team Wisconsin to be received no later than June 15th. Send money orders to Dave Witting 2038 Lane Dr. Beloit, Wis. 53511. Once all players are committed and money is received, a schedule will be developed and sent by email to the players by June 26th. No refunds.
All of the information in the above paragraph will be included in the email notification to the selected players on or before June 6th.
2007 Team Wisconsin High Performance Development Day Camp – 2nd Step
June 29-July 1 - ICE Hawk Arena, 801 Badger Ave Stevens Point, Wis. 54481
Each player will gain more development through a highly specialized instruction on and off the ice. The 2006 camp was a great success. Questions can be directed by email to Mike Connor (mconnor@wahahockey.com) or by phone at 715-247-5100.