From The Editor:
Passionate People Make Hockey Sport to Play in Florida
W
elcome to Florida Rubber Magazine! Florida may never be considered a
hockey haven, having its beginning with the Tampa Bay Lightning only as far back as the 1992 NHL season, but if you dig a little deeper, it’s clear the sport is making incredible inroads throughout the state. Seemingly everywhere you look, a
Chris Errington
state known more for its beaches, hot and humid weather and retirees is tak- ing to the ice or hard-court rinks. While its beginnings may stem from relocat- ing northerners seeking better climates but still with the yearning to play the sport, it’s clear that a dedicated group of enthusiasts are turning hockey from an
isolated passion into state-wide acceptance. It’s people like Peter Pearlman, president and founder of the Florida
Scholastic Hockey League (FSHL), who simply wanted to help provide his son with an opportunity to play the sport he loved instead of settling for the traditional high school sports to which he was relegated. His work and dedication now directly impacts more than 30 high school-level teams and hundreds of student athletes throughout the state by providing them a recognized league in which to play. There’s NHL Hall of Famer Phil Esposito, whose tireless work as presi-
dent and general manager helped bring professional hockey and a Stanley Cup to Tampa Bay. There are ex-professionals like Peter Worrell, who used to make a
living dealing punishing hits on the ice, but now coaches one of the state’s most successful high school level programs at North Broward Prep. Then there are people like Mackie Feierstein and Lynsie Estes with
the NHL’s Florida Panthers, who are not only helping the team make in- roads within the South Florida metroplex, but also developing programs like the Rink Coalition that help bring the game to more youths by making it more affordable for them to play. In all, the names are seemingly countless, but together they form the backbone of a drive to make youth hockey not only recognized throughout Florida, but making Florida youth hockey recognized throughout the coun- try.
And these are the people whose stories we want to bring to you each
month. As the crowds at the St. Pete Times Forum filled to capacity during the Lightning’s and Panthers’ unexpected runs to the Stanley Cup Finals in seasons past, so did the level of excitement Floridians have for the sport. It translates to more people in the stands and, more importantly, more youths on the ice. In the coming months, we’ll bring you stories about hockey at its most
basic, and often, most important level. You’ll read about how not only professional teams with sales figures in mind develop programs designed to bring the sport to more children, but how dedicated individuals, often without compensation, work tirelessly to make sure rinks remain open and rosters filled with youths who dream of an NHL future. These are the stories that matter, these are the stories that show the
real excitement of hockey in Florida and just like Worrell said of Division I college programs now recruiting this non-traditional hockey state, these are the stories that are the diamonds in the rough.
Chris Errington Senior Editor, Florida Rubber Magazine
Contact Chris Errington at
chrise@rubberhockey.com 4
The Florida Panthers will be hosting a USA Hockey American Develop- ment Model (ADM) clinic, similar to this one from 2010, this winter to pro- vide age-appropriate guidelines and curriculum to hockey associations to help more kids play, love and excel in hockey. See more on the Panthers and fan development on Page 8. Photo/Florida Panthers
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Publisher: Brian McDonough,
brian@rubberhockey.com Managing Editor: Matt Mackinder,
matt@rubberhockey.com Senior Editor: Chris Errington,
chrise@rubberhockey.com
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On the Cover...
Members of the North Broward Prep varsity hockey team, clockwise from top left, sophomore forward Chad Fleischman, freshman forward Brad Perlman, sophomore forward Nico Silva and sophomore forward David Kramish, with head coach Pete Worrell. Photo/Patricia Cash
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