USA Hockey

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USA Hockey

Based in	Colorado Springs, CO USA
Colors	Red, Blue, White
President	Ron Degregorio
Website	USA Hockey

USA Hockey is recognized as the governing body for amateur ice hockey in the United States and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. The organization is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado and had over 445,000 registered members for the 2004-05 season. Along with Hockey Canada, USA Hockey is one of the only two IIHF member associations that uses its own rulebook, rather than following IIHF-standard laws. The USA Hockey Rules and Casebook of Ice Hockey are updated every two years in odd-numbered years. In off years a "rules emphasis" is released as an addendum for the rulebook, and during rule-change years any official may submit a rule change idea to the Rules Council.

USA Hockey runs national championships for boys' Tier I and Tier II and girls' divisions at all age levels, knock-out cup competitions for Junior A, B and C boys' leagues, and a total of 10 championships (National, Elite, Elite non-checking, 30-and-over, 40-and-over, 50-and-over, 3 rec-league levels, 2 novice levels) for men's hockey. It also operates the Select 15's, 16's and 17's festivals for elite players entering high school, the Labatt Blue Pond Hockey Championships for adults and annual coaching and officiating camps for high-level coaches and on-ice officials. It also operates the National Team Development Program, based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan and composing of a select group of players that have tried out and been selected as the most talented in the nation. It competes in the North American Hockey League and in the United States Hockey League in addition to playing NCAA Division I colleges and in International competition. It is not uncommon to see a number of NTDP alumni make it to the NHL or be named full internationals: in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, six first-round selections (including No. 1 pick Erik Johnson) were former members of the NTDP.