Earning Their Wings


Ten years in the making, the Colorado Thunderbirds have established themselves as a national powerhouse By Paul Willis


prominent graduates. A


decade into the process, the Colorado Thun- derbirds are exactly where they want to be and exactly who they want to be. Whether it’s opponents, scouts, college pro- grams or anyone familiar with local youth pro- grams, the Thunderbirds name carries some weight. That’s what happens when your Tier I, AAA programs churn out talent with the frequency of a Colorado snow- storm.


“When we go to these national tourna- ments, the stands are full of scouts when we’re playing,” said Larry Cleland, who’s been involved with the Thunder- birds in multiple capacities and whose son, Matias, is an alum. “They know there’s going to be top kids on those teams and, frankly, they just want to come and see them.


“Just around the rink, you hear them saying, ‘What time are the Thunderbirds playing?’”


Spearheaded by director of hockey op-


erations Angelo Ricci, the Thunderbirds have developed top-notch squads at 11U on up to 18U. After forming in 2002, with Air Force coach Frank Serratore as one of the founding members, the Thunder- birds have surpassed the curve to such an extent that they’re beginning to set it. Within the next few seasons, they’ll have produced a whopping 15 players to the state’s three Division I hockey pro- grams: the University of Denver, Colo- rado College and Air Force.


“They’ve proven themselves in the last few years,” said Thunderbirds 18U for- ward Evan Anderson. “They’ve moved the most guys in Colorado up to the next level. You can see it just by walking in the lobby at Big Bear (Ice Arena). You can see the banners from all the alumni who’ve played there. I wouldn’t go to any other organization in Colorado.” Count Anderson, who attends Heri- tage High School in Littleton, as one of those moving on to the next level. He was selected No. 10 overall in the 2011 United States Hockey League (USHL) Entry Draft by the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Stampede, but instead will play for the Penticton Vees, a Junior A club in the British Columbia Hockey League. The Thunderbirds’ impressive alumni is too numerous to encapsulate in a single story, but includes DU forward Nick Shore (a Los Ange- les Kings draft pick) and his brother, Quentin, who is playing in Ann Arbor, Mich., for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program this season and soon will also join the Pioneers. Then there’s Josiah Didier, a DU player drafted by the Montreal Canadiens, Sean Lorenz, who skates at Notre Dame, Colorado College’s Nick Dineen and countless other


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“I think when you look at the program, ours begins first and foremost with the coaching,” said Ricci, who doubles as head coach of the 16U squad and an assistant for both the 14U and 18U teams. “To establish a foundation at each level, we have the coaches in place who are going to teach the kids our expectations, on and off the ice.


hockey? Absolutely not,” Ricci said. “Are all of them going to play Division III? No. But there are so many opportunities, whether it be Division I, III, club hockey, the Western Hockey League or getting into coaching.”


Cleland, whose son plays for the Waterloo (Iowa) Blackhawks of the USHL and soon will move on to the University of New Hampshire, has viewed the organization from the outside and in.


He’s an at-large board member and a former manager for the 16U and 18U teams. Above all, he was a par- ent. It’s given him a unique perspec- tive as to why the organization is so successful.


“I think it’s a couple things,” Cleland said. “I think coaching is of utmost importance. But besides that, since Angelo has taken over, he’s really done a good job of getting the teams involved with some of the best competition in the country.” The Thunderbirds, along with a few other notable in-state programs, are helping erase the perception that Colorado produces few elite hockey players. Playing in upper-echelon tournaments - and performing well while there - has begun to put Colo- rado on the map in that regard. “Colorado does have the talent and the skill here to be significant factors,” Cleland said. “All of that plays into where we’re getting to at this point.” The organization had no clue it would be this successful when un- earthed in 2002, and now is precisely where it wants to be. The Thunder- birds have no plans to expand at this time as they’ve settled into their fourth season with a team at every level. The current agenda calls for remaining dedicated to their current teams while continuing to remain sharp on the ice.


Members of the Colorado Thunderbirds program, including Kurri Woodford of its 12U team, have a lot to celebrate given the organization’s unwavering commitment to devel- opment, exposure and advancement. Photo/YSPN.com


“Our biggest goals for the program are skill development, individual development, team suc- cess within our (system), and just learning to be a good person away from the rink.”


The organization goes as far as to teach play- ers life skills such as time management, which will be beneficial whether or not they end up pur- suing hockey for a living. And if players’ ultimate hockey dreams don’t unfold, Ricci communicates that there are still ways to remain with the sport in some capacity.


“Are all of them going to play Division I


Operating principally out of Big Bear Ice Arena in southeast Denver, the Thunderbirds also have a spring program that attracts about 250-300 skaters. In the program, the emphasis isn’t as much about winning as it is fundamental development. As far as the AAA program, the


winning seems to be taking care of itself. That’s allowed the players to take immense pride in their development, because it’s typically accompa- nied with success.


“Even if a new coach comes in, he quickly learns how it works and knows what to do,” An- derson said. “Winning is now just a tradition with this program. Every team is doing really well for their age level.


“Every year, you see more and more players coming in from out of the city and out of state to play for us, so that’s pretty cool.”


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