NEWS

With the recent announcement of the Western State Hockey League’s move to Tier-ll status, many questions have surfaced about what this really means.

Long Beach Bombers Head Coach / General Manager, Chris White, offers his insight into what this change means for the league, the players, and the Bombers organization…

 

What is the immediate on-ice impact of the jump to Tier-ll play?

 

Most importantly, the continuation of the increased caliber of ice hockey played in the WSHL. There were other rule changes voted into effect, that will more greatly affect the on-ice product, to compliment the Tier-II status change. For instance:

a).     A rule change of 10 imports plus 2 veteran imports (a player that has played 10+ games in the WSHL, the year prior), that has changed to 12 imports plus 2 veteran imports, which will allow the teams to improve their level of competition, and more importantly, the lower-end teams will have the ability to add two more quality players. A huge part of the WSHL’s year-over-year success, has been the increase in international players. A quick look at recent years’ Top-20 Scorers will give you an idea of what the league is adding, with the new import rules. In what has become a very competitive market for junior teams in the United States, the WSHL’s import rule has allowed them to access international talent, which raises the level of competition not only on game day, but in every on and off-ice organized team activity. The league has featured dozens of players that have represented their countries in international competition, along many more that have played at the highest possible level of U18 or U20 hockey in their home country.

b.)     Additionally, the WSHL voted to increase the regular season schedule from 46 to 52 games; another added bonus to the players. In fact, most teams did not significantly increase their player tuition, even though this will mean the ownership groups will be adding significant expensive for inter-division road trips.

 

What does Tier-ll mean for my son?

 

Much like every top league (junior, pro, collegiate, etc.), the WSHL has to build upon their foundation. You cannot expect a Tier-lll league to develop into a Tier-ll caliber league, without making the necessary steps both developmentally and operationally. The WSHL is arguably the most progressive and growth-oriented junior league in the world. A glance at the history of the league in its 22-year existence is extremely eye-opening. Going into my fifth season with the Long Beach Bombers, I can tell you the on-ice product, the business model, and the player advancement success has all increased exponentially. What this means for "Johnny and Timmy" is being a part of a revolutionary change in the world of North American junior hockey. The WSHL has two main focal points behind this major transition: parity and player advancement/development. The other Tier-II leagues in North America will not be surpassed by the WSHL in 2015-2016; make no mistake about it. However, with only four import positions on each roster, and a business model of non-pay-to-play, it allows for the United Hockey Union and WSHL to take a bite out of this market, and provide an alternative. The Long Beach Bombers have not gone from an 18-win team, to a 33-win playoff team, solely due to the improvement of the average Southern California hockey player. Yes, that player has improved year after year for our club, but our success and growth curve is escalated because of our ability to sign a dozen top-end European players. For your child, this raises the level of competition every time they step on the ice, into the gym, or into a video review session. Moving forward, the WSHL will continue to grow, and make necessary adjustments to things like the import rule. Another talking point was the desire to incorporate younger players into our rosters. This type of player can greatly improve their development by playing with and against 20 year-olds that have donned their country’s national team sweater. As the league continues to grow, with more players advancing to higher levels of hockey, more scouts, both collegiate and professional, will be interested in the WSHL talented rosters.

 

How is it pay-to-play, AND called Tier-ll?

 

USA Hockey criteria indicates that the Tier-ll level is non-pay-to-play. However, in Canada several of the Tier-II leagues governed by the CJHL do in fact charge tuition or similar amounts for a player to participate.  Under the United Hockey Union, there is no specific guideline to this point. Under the current business model and modus operandi, the WSHL’s ownership groups are not in a financial position to allow for no player tuition. With the cost of travel and ice in 2015, player tuition is absolutely necessary to offer a quality program. Each team will now play 24 home games, 24 road games, in addition to 4 games at the Western States Hockey League's Las Vegas Showcase. The footprint of the WSHL includes the western half of the United States approximately 1.5 million square miles. Many of the WSHL venues only accommodate a few hundred spectators, and their fan base is not at a level to generate enough income to facilitate a “non-pay-to-play' business model, as of today. Thus, the WSHL will remain a pay-to-play league much like many of its Canadian neighbors.   In addition, the WSHL has made certain rule changes regarding collection of tuition, that are intended to spark league parity.

The caliber of play, and the caliber of player, that the WSHL is currently showcasing, ignited the feeling for a need to recognize ourselves at a more appropriate level. This is not a one-year plan, it will be a process to earn the undeniable title of Tier-ll hockey. To that point, the league, its owners, and staff, are all fully-committed to this exciting new mission.

 

How will the Bombers organization change?

 

The Long Beach Bombers organization has taken huge steps towards providing a better on-ice product, along with enhanced benefits to the players (billeting, transportation, equipment, and so on). Some of the areas in which the organization will focus, in relation to the Tier-ll status change, will be the following: Game Video, Player Advancement, Scouting, Staff Budget, Marketing/Advertising, and Community Involvement / Fan Support. Game video is a big part of team improvement and individual player recruitment. Last season, the organization allocated a large budget amount to securing new technology and hardware to improve the game day broadcast. This season, the visual aspect of the broadcast will be paramount. The team will meet with their home rink management, in an attempt to determine a long-term plan and permanent locations for the best possible streaming game video production. Player advancement is crucial in the move to Tier-ll status. Since my first season, in 2011-2012, we have had 35 age-out players. It is with great pleasure that we can say that 25 Bombers alumni have gone on to play as an over-age junior, at a higher junior level, collegiately, or professionally (this does not include the talented group of ‘94s that will undoubtedly be signing contracts throughout the off-season). Hockey has been a part of my life since birth, and I am very aware that not every player will go on to play college, or earn a paycheck. However, if they can somehow continue to play the game we all love, that is what it’s all about. Some of our most notable recent alumni include Jakub Sramek (’93) of the Czech Republic, whose team just won the Czech Extraliga (top professional league in Czech Republic). Both Sal Tecci and Brian White (‘91s) are having successful NCAA Division-lll collegiate careers at Worcester State University and Curry College, respectively. From the 2013-2014 squad, captain Marcus Viitanen (’93) of Sweden, just completed his rookie campaign in Division One (Sweden’s third level of professional hockey), with an extremely productive and successful season. Also, David Shaby who, in addition to former Bomber, Curtis Fisher, recently won the ACHA Division-ll National Championship with the New York University Violets hockey team. My vision for our organization is to be able to hang an NCAA Division-l signing on our wall, in the next 4-5 years. We have targeted a younger group, in this season’s recruiting class, because of this goal. It is very likely that we will have two ’99 birth-year players, as well as at least one ’98. While these players may not provide the production level of a 20 year-old, in the 2015-2016 season, they are the life blood of the move to Tier-ll status. The scouting budget has significantly increased in the past few seasons, and did so again, for the 2015 off-season. I recently attended a prospects camp in Moscow, Russia, organized by Bombers long-time partner, Andrey Matveev, of the KeySport Agency. The club looks to be in position to sign two players directly from this camp. After Moscow, I traveled to Marsta, Sweden, where the Bombers became the first ever North American junior program to exclusively host a prospects camp on European soil. With nine Bombers alumni in attendance, I was able to watch nearly 40 new players. From this camp, we will likely sign 6-7 players. Staff budget will be key in many important areas. The Bombers are in discussion to add a staff member to coordinate things such as marketing/advertising, corporate sponsorship/events, community relationships/involvement, fan support, hotel/restaurant partnerships, and gym sponsorship. Additionally, the Bombers are in talks to add a sports psychologist and official team doctor, to the already excellent group of staff members. The team will be looking to add interns in the areas of game day operations, broadcast production, marketing, ad sales, etc.

 

In Summary:

 

The Western States Hockey League has made a monumental change in its path and model. The move to Tier-ll will help the top teams elevate their already-high levels of on-ice product and business operations. Naturally, the concern was with the lower-end franchises. However, as a group of partners, the 28-teams felt that we could raise the level of competition, by focusing on rule changes to increase and ensure parity. Only time will tell if the move turns out successful, but for a league that seems to be improving every year, in all facets, why would anyone doubt it? I, for one, feel that our league will provide another avenue for an age group that deserves every opportunity to develop and continue their playing careers. Every year I have been involved, we have improved our points total, increased our budget/staff, provided more for our players, helped more players continue to play this great sport, and added wonderful billet families. Now comes the biggest challenge of all. The organization and myself do not take this challenge lightly. With it, comes more responsibility and greater expectations. I can’t wait to get the season started, and work every day to not only prove our doubters wrong, but help a group of 25 dedicated young men take one step closer to achieving their goals, both on and off the ice.