http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080513/NEWS04/559084766/1001

Last edited by WFHockeyFan on Tue May 13, 2008 9:02 pm; edited 1 time in total

WFHockeyFan wrote:

Opened in Jan. 2003 http://www.ushr.com/news/20030401 Copied from the article above, scroll to near the bottom. 4/1/03 Rustlers Auction Fetches Big Bucks for Jersey The Wichita Falls Rustlers (AWHL) are the junior hockey attendance leaders in the U.S., averaging 5,298 per game through the end of the regular season. That puts them ahead of the USHL's River City Lancers (4,910 avg.) and Lincoln Stars (4,608 avg.)....... Those were the days, so much fun :(

Yup, those were the days, that's for sure. They had big crowds on a consistant basis, just not all that many sellouts. What was most important though, was that the fans had fun!

Alright, I split another one.

The Wenatchee thread is pretty relevant and still an ongoing saga, so I thought maybe we could keep it somewhat on track.

The other stuff is still available for comment, it is in the "Split from Wenatchee Thread" thread now.

05-11-08
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080510/NEWS04/662276438

Funny how they don't just announce it.

They have already hired a coach and he is busy recruiting.

05-13-08
A done deal.
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080513/NEWS04/559084766/1001

http://nahl.com/news/story.cfm?id=492

Wenatchee Apache
Wenatchee Wanderers
Wenatchee Whopee

Wenatchee Apple Blossoms...

Wenatchee-ZITS

Wenatchee-TOES

Wenatchee Harvesters
Wenatchee Ciders
Wenatchee Wicas
Wenatchee Wusies
Wenatchee WildWings

Wenatchee Wanderers, that'd be my choice.

With apologies to Asheville, NC, the Wenatchee Travelers...

Applewings? Appleblades?

Wenatchee's new hockey team awaits the choosing of a nickname by school kids Applewings? Appleblades?

By Rob Ollikainen
World sports writer
Posted May 13, 2008

WENATCHEE — We know hockey is coming to Wenatchee, but we won’t know the name of the team or the jersey colors for a few days. That’s for the kids to decide.

Team officials said Tuesday they will bring five possible nicknames to local elementary schools and have students vote on their favorite. Bill Stewart, a member of the group that owns the team, said an announcement of the nickname and team colors will be made by Monday.

Wenatchee’s Rocky Flynn, another member of the team’s ownership group, declined to say what the five possible nicknames are.

The franchise will play 30 home games in the new Greater Wenatchee Regional Events Center. It will be part of the North American Hockey League featuring top-tier 18-, 19- and 20-year-old players who are looking to take their games to the college or professional level. Wenatchee is one of three new teams in the 20-team league. The others are in Albert Lee, Minn., and Owatonna, Minn.

NAHL Commissioner Mark Frankenfeld said it’s entirely possible that Wenatchee could field a competitive team in its first season on the ice. He noted that several franchises have won the league’s Robertson Cup in their first years of existence.
Teams can begin tendering player contacts today. Wenatchee can sign up to 15 players. Teams can trade their tenders, or contract commitments, for veterans on other teams. Wenatchee will have either the No. 1 or the No. 2 pick in the May 21 NAHL draft, Frankenfeld said.

Scouts have been focusing in the Denver area for the new Wenatchee team. Stewart said the franchise will scout locally beginning next year.

“There will definitely be an opportunity for (local) players to try out,” Flynn said. “What scouts are looking for around the country are the top, top players.”

A coaching staff has been selected and a head coach will be announced later this week.

“They have experience and they have good knowledge of hockey,” Frankenfeld said of the staff.

The league schedule is being finalized this week. The regular season runs from mid-September to the end of March. The playoffs are in April.

Wenatchee will play in the league’s South Division with teams from Topeka, Kan.; Wichita Falls, Texas; Frisco, Texas; Wasilla, Alaska; Soldotna, Alaska; and Fairbanks, Alaska.

Fan Support

I have no doubt that the fan support in Wenatchee will big. The state of Washington is no stranger to junior hockey with 4 teams in the state already (5 if you include Portland, Or.), and all these teams have huge support from their hometowns. However these teams are ran like professional teams. I hope they have a first class operation, not run like a mickey mouse operation like most teams in the NAHL. The NAHL needs more professionaly ran clubs in order to survive

Re: Fan Support

Keeper23 wrote:

I have no doubt that the fan support in Wenatchee will big. The state of Washington is no stranger to junior hockey with 4 teams in the state already (5 if you include Portland, Or.), and all these teams have huge support from their hometowns. However these teams are ran like professional teams. I hope they have a first class operation, not run like a mickey mouse operation like most teams in the NAHL. The NAHL needs more professionaly ran clubs in order to survive

I really hope you are not expecting the NAHL team to compare to the WHL teams in Washington. Although I agree with you that it would be good for the NAHL to have more professionally ran clubs - don't get Tier II Junior A hockey in the US confused with major junior hockey. That is almost like hoping for a CHL (Chen Hockey League) team to be run like an NHL team.

No no...Im not comparing the caliber of hockey. Im quite familiar with with both hockey leagues having played in both (Saginaw Gears 1991-93 NAHL and the Tri-cities Americans 2 preseason games 1990) Im just hoping for big fan support. It is essential that the NAHL to find markets that will draw a strong fanbase.

Ez Street wrote:

Applewings?

How about the Wenatchee Chiefs....reminds me of the superhero Apache Chief

05-13-08
About the coach...
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080515/SPORTS/970179898/1001

What division? I'll go with the South...why not!! Going to be an interesting year in the league this year!!!