NIHL All-Star Games 'a very friendly environment' for young players
Players being announced as they skated to their blue line, the anthem, the fans - the first Northern Illinois Hockey League Premier Select All-Star Games will be a happy memory for a lot of boys and girls.
The experience also fostered sportsmanship and got players better.
"Coming in everyone was rivals, like, 'you've got to beat that person,'" said Glenview Stars goalkeeper Jordan Davila, who played in the NIHL 14-under All-Star Game on Jan. 24 at Vernon Hills' Glacier Ice Arena.
"We expected it to be very tense, very awkward, but everyone was open with each other, it was very friendly environment. It was like, 'we've got nothing to hide, we're all friends.' It just felt very normal."
What was not normal was the speed of the game.
"It was definitely a change in speed," said Northbrook Bluehawks defenseman Charlie Walker, on the winning side of that 14U game, 3-2. He recorded an assist in the game.
"Just taking the top kids from each team, there were some really fast kids, some really skilled kids and it was really fun to play with all them. I think what people say about moving on when you get older to different leagues and different teams is the game gets bigger, faster and stronger. Playing in the All-Star Game, I could really see the change."
About 200 spectators watched each of the four all-star hockey games, NIHL treasurer and all-star chairman Larry Beller said. They started at about 5 p.m. with the 10U "squirts" and finished with a combination of 16U-18U "midget" players in a final game that ended by about 10:30.
Players represented teams in Glenview, Northbrook, Winnetka, Vernon Hills, Hoffman Estates, Evanston and more. NIHL programs extend into Chicago, points north and south and into Kenosha, Wisconsin, and South Bend, Indiana.
"The object was to showcase our highest level and I thought it was fabulous," said NIHL President Bob Apter. "The kids loved it, the parents loved it, and everybody was happy with the event. I can't wait till we have the (second) annual event next year."
Walker's fellow Bluehawks blue liner, defenseman Charlie Rosen, also got the all-star nod from coach Ben Stein.
"He texted me about it," said Rosen, a 14-year-old Glenbrook North freshman. "It was very cool knowing that I was one of five people selected from our team. He's been a real good and fun coach all year, and it meant lot for him to pick me."
Davila was in net when the combined forces from the Bluehawks and teams from Evanston, South Bend and St. Jude in Chicago scored the winning goal with about five minutes left in a 3-2 decision in the 14U game.
Davila, who started playing hockey in the fourth grade, stopped a shot from the point, stopped a rebound, but couldn't stop a third-chance opportunity.
"Obviously we wanted to win and we couldn't come up with the victory, but it was still fun," said Davila, consoled by the fact that entering Tuesday his Glenview Stars led the Premier Select Bantam division at 14-1-3, and in team goals-against at 2.28. Other all-star Stars were Cameron Christopher, Evan Claffey, Cade Harazin, Blake Hoffer, Matteus Johansson and Aidan Weller, Davila said.
"My favorite thing would probably be just the enjoyment I had with my teammates and with teams across the league, walking on the ice and being able to have that NHL aesthetic where they call everyone, name by name, out to the blue line and when everyone's up they do the national anthem," Davila said.
"It was the first time they did this in the NIHL," said Walker, "and it was a great experience and I'm glad I got to play in it."
The All-Star Game benefitted Rosen the next time out in league play, a 4-3 Bluehawks win over the Vernon Hills Ice Dogs on Jan. 25.
"I think I just had, like, a different mindset going into that game," Rosen said. "I felt more confident, more positive, and also I knew who some of their better players were, and it helped me out."