Admirals Parents,

The development of your children as hockey players is at the core of our mission. An important facet of that advancement is ensuring that you, as parents, are fully educated on what we are attempting to accomplish and why. You may have many questions about our philosophy and objectives including:

• What is the American Development Model (ADM)?
• What is Long Term Athletic Development (LTAD)?
• How do these principles affect the structure of practices?
• What does it really mean to be a Model Association of USA Hockey?
• Why don’t we have full-ice practices?
• Why don’t we have more breakout drills and power-skate sessions?
• What specific skills are being developed during station-based drills?
• What is the reasoning and why do we emphasize small area games?
• Why don’t we have full-time goalies at an earlier age?

The Admirals are excited to provide you with an opportunity to ask questions and hear from a representative of USA Hockey and an expert in ADM. On Wednesday, April 19, Bob Mancini, Regional ADM Manager for USA Hockey, will lead interactive parent sessions in the stands during the Admirals spring practice slots that evening. Bob, along with Admirals Hockey Club staff and members of the Board of Directors, will also describe and explain the purpose of the individual station-based ADM practices.

Attendance is open to all Admirals parents, even if your children are not playing at the Admirals this spring or if your spring players are not practicing on April 19. Please note that only the spring Squirt and Bantam players who have regularly scheduled practices on Wednesdays will participate in the on-ice practice. In order to accommodate all parents, the sessions are scheduled as follows:

• Parents of players with birth years 2007-2012 attend either from 5:30-6:30pm or from 6:40-7:40pm on Wednesday, April 19, in the stands in the American rink.

• Parents of players with birth years 1999-2006 attend either from 7:50–8:50pm or from 9:00– 10:00pm on Wednesday, April 19, in the stands in the American rink.

If you have any questions about these sessions, please contact Hockey Director Chad Green at 630-650-1202 or cgreen@admiralshockeyclub.com.