Florida Eels Program Overview

Florida Eels Program Overview

 

The Southwest Florida Youth Travel Hockey Association (SWFYTHA) operates and manages youth ice hockey programs. It is registered and licensed in the state of Florida as a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit corporation.   The association organizes and maintains multiple hockey teams in various age divisions and at various levels.

 

The Florida Eels is a youth hockey program that is owned and operated by the Southwest Florida Youth Travel Hockey Association.

 

Over the last ten-and-a-half years the Eels program has successfully developed

Mites A & AA, Squirts A & AA, Peewee A, AA & AAA, Bantam A, AA & AAA, Midget U-16 A, AA & AAA, Junior B And C teams and Midget U-18, A, AA & AAA.

 

Officers of the Southwest Florida Youth Hockey Association

 

Antoinette Gayer………President and  Treasurer

Frank Scarpaci………. Vice President

 
 

Board of Directors: Antoinette Gayer, Karen Boyd, Frank Scarpaci Hockey Director: Frank Scarpaci Ace Coordinator: Frank Scarpaci Florida Eels Registrar: June Niland. The Eels home rink is the Fort Myers Skatium.

 

The Fort Myers Skatium is a city-owned ice skating facility and recreation center located in downtown Fort Myers, Florida. It is located across the street from the Boston Red Sox spring training field. The rink was built in 1999 and has one 85 x 200 ice surface as well as a second 85 x 200 in-line rink. The rink has undergone a million dollar renovation this past year and is considered a first-class facility. It has grand stand seating for over 400 spectators and eight locker rooms with showers.  Other amenities include a first class state-of-the-art fitness center, snack bar and full-service pro-shop.

 

The Florida Eels conduct their practices at the Ft. Myers Skatium in downtown Fort Myers. The Eels junior & AAA program have players from all of North America, Europe and across the state of Florida. 

 

The Eels have also received corporate sponsoring to defray costs of the program. Our statewide showcasing enables our corporate sponsors and partners the opportunity to get to see the Eels practice and play statewide.

Eels Program Points of Emphasis

 

• encourage and assist our players to continue their education, during and after their careers with the Eels.

 

• provide quality coaching and instruction in hockey, nutrition, fitness, strength and mental conditioning.

 

• advise and assist in the college admissions process.

 

• increase our players’ visibility by showcasing their hockey talents for college coaches and pro scouts.

 

• develop the players work ethic via comprehensive training and practice regimens.

 

• hone our players’ skills by providing the opportunity to play in a highly competitive environment.

 

• maintain our players’ amateur status as defined by the NCAA standards.

 

• provide the guidance necessary for our players to mature socially and emotionally.

 

The Skatium House Recreation Program

 

The Skatium operates its own “house” league youth program.  The programs are USA Hockey sanctioned.  The Eels coaches volunteer numerous hours each week in assisting the Skatium Recreation programs.  The efforts are augmented by Eels’ coaches in weekly skating clinics, Learn-to-Play and specialized skills sessions.  The house recreation programs include Mini, Mite, Squirt, PeeWee, Bantam and Midget. The emphasis in the house recreation programs is on the teaching of basic skating/hockey skills. De-emphasis is placed on scoring, wins, points and statistics. The Fort Myers Skatium does not run an independent travel hockey programs

 

Skatium High School Hockey League

 

The Ft. Myers Skatium also offers a high school program on Sunday evenings.  All high school aged players are eligible to participate. The league is made up of one pure team from the Edison Academic Center and 1-2 combined teams i.e., players from two or more high schools.

 

High school hockey has two sessions, one in the fall and one in the winter. The Eels encourage all of their players to participate in the high school league. The highly charged competitive and sometimes aggressive atmosphere often associated with tier I and II travel teams is not present in the high school league making the games fun for all players.   Regardless of their skill level, all players are placed on a team and play. The players indeed take great pride and pleasure in participating in the games. Moreover, the games are attended by multiple family members who add a positive element of excitement to the games.

 

Exposure, Placement & Alumni

 

The Eels junior & AAA program are the most unique AAA program in the state of Florida, if not the USA.  Its focus and mission is on education, player development, exposure, visibility, academic counseling, junior and college advisement and placement.  The Eels have alumni playing Division I college hockey, division III college hockey, in the USHL, NAHL, EJHL, AJHL, WSHL, EmJHL, MJHL, SEJHL and the CHA.

 

The backbone of the Eels junior & AAA program is education, training and practice.  A majority of our U16, U18 and junior players attend the Edison Academic Center or the Edison Community College. The class schedules of these students typically runs from 7:30 a.m. to12: 30 p.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  The players receive on-ice training from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day amounting to ten hours of skill training during the week. For players unable to attend the day sessions, the Eels offer 2 practices per week in the evening or weekend times. During all of our sessions, considerable emphasis in placed on skating techniques, power skating with and without the puck, skating endurance, passing, receipt & delivery, shooting & scoring techniques, team play, fore-check systems, back-checking, power play systems, defensive systems, penalty kills and video coaching. 

 

The Eels videotape many of their practices and games. The videos offer enormous assistance as instructional tools in improving player skills.  Through video, the coaches illustrate the player mistakes and accomplishments. There is no escaping the video.  It will show the strengths and weakness of each player and what could be done to improve the individual’s skills and performance.  These coaching mechanisms have had enormous impact on the development and improvement of our players. The old adage holds true that a picture says a thousand words and a photo does not lie.  The players have been extremely receptive to these instructional critiques.

 

Off-ice Conditioning

 

The Eels also participate in the most integrated and intense off-ice conditioning program in Florida with most junior players being active members of the Ft. Myers Fitness Center. The new fitness center is a state-of-the-art facility with some of the finest fitness equipment available. Additionally, the players are provided with NTDP and college training manuals to assist with their fitness training.

 

In addition to the fitness center training, each player participates in off-ice soccer training every Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.  This cross-training enhances multiple skills to better prepare the students for college.  Prior to each practice players do short and long sprints and aerobics to warm up as part of their Junior Eels integrated on and off-ice training system.

 

Additionally, during the season, each player participates in off-ice soccer, football and basketball training every Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. to 6:45p.m. This cross training enhances multiple skills and develops eye/hand and balance coordination. Prior to each practice and game, our players do short and long sprints, cal esthetics and aerobics to warm up. These are all part of the integrated on and off-ice training component of the Eels Tier I System.

 

Chalk Talks & Commercial Video Classrooms

 

Players attend chalk talk sessions each times a week. The coaches go over the practice plans and review past and upcoming games. Coaches go over professional video clips such as Kevin Constantine’s “Total Hockey Instructional Services,” the “USA Hockey Drills” series, the Kenny Fields’ “Skating Dynamics DVD.” Series, and many others.

 

Eels SAT & ACT Classroom Prep and College Counseling

 

The players also participate in SAT training seminars offered by the Edison Academic Center. The seminars are offered by professional educators reviewing test training techniques, strategies and methods. The educators review the SAT test to help prepare players for acceptance into college. Similar sessions are provided to players about college and junior placement. Extensive classroom and individual counseling sessions are provided to players and families regarding opportunities for the players. Discussion and explanation is provided about preparatory schools, division I, division III and ACHA teams. The coaches also share data available on junior programs and opportunities in the USHL, NAHL, EJHL, AJHL, EMJHL, Metro JHL, WJHL, OHL and the QMJHL. The Eels offer a complete integrated and multifaceted program. It is designed to prepare players both athletically and academically for college.

 

 

Our Tier II AA teams play in the SAHOF statewide league and compete in a variety of AAA/AA tournaments across North America.  Our tier II A teams play in the FAHL and also compete in several invitational tournaments, both in Florida and occasionally outside the state.

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