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This Spring session is open to any incoming 8th or 9th grader looking to prepare themselves for High School tryouts.  It is designed to:

1)  Bridge the gap from Bantam to High School.  Transition from skill development and SAGs to full ice/team concepts, including but not limited to:  terminology, zone entry, OZ/NZ/DZ strategies, faceoff concepts, backchecking/forechecking schemes, PWOP, etc.

2)  Keep your players body and minds in hockey shape for their upcoming tryout season

3)  Give you player a feel for what a typical HS practice might look and feel like

4)  Team building exercises, leadership activities and Q and A with SWM Blades staff and players

...and of course HAVE FUN!

How to Sign Up:

1)  Please email Coach Eddy your intentions of singing up, swmbladeshockey@yahoo.com.  Please include:  player name, parent phone numbers/emails, grade/school(Fall), team they are on/coach name as well as shirt size (please specify, youth or adult).

2)  Venmo Coach Eddy at Tyler-Eddy-10, $125. Class will be capped at 25, payment will secure your spot officially.

3)  If the dates don't work for you but you are interested in a future session, please let us know.

Schedule:

Monday 4/3, 515-615 WW Blue (classroom session from 640-730)

Thursday 4/6, 715-815 WW Blue (classroom session from 600-650)

Thursday 4/13, 500-600, WW Red (classroom session from 620-700)

**all classroom sessions will be held in the room at the end of the hallway, between the rinks

No matter what your plans are for Fall, this is great way to get a leg up on the competition!  

Friday, Blades 0 FT Wayne Carroll 0

Saturday, Blades 3 Lake Central Blue 1

Saturday, Blades 5 Zionsville 0

Sunday, Blades 3 Bishop Noll 0

One more league game and non league game to wrap up 2022!!

#32 Chase Willcutt AC

#9 Jarrett LaGrow C

#19 Landon Roberson, Community Volunteer Liason

#15 Nate Willcutt C

#7 Carter Lehmann AC

Blades sweep the weekend in league play taking their league record to 10-0-1-1.

Results/Upcoming:

12/2 4-0 vs. Riley

12/3 12-0 vs. Valpo

12/4 2-1 vs. Adams

Second half begins and it will be a battle!

               2022 Great Lakes Kickoff Classic

Standings:                 W         L      T    Points     PEN.          

Buffalo Grove/H/W    2          0      1     5             6

GMP Black                 2           1             4             12

SWM Blades               2         1              4             15

WM Varsity                  2          1             4             19

Lake Central Blue     1          1       1    3            

Penn Gold                   1          2             2             

GMP Grey                   1           2             2             

St Ignatius                  0           3             0            

Friday, October 7th:

445-545pm SWM Blades 3 vs. Lake Central Blue 1

600-700pm  Penn Gold 5 vs. GMP Black 2

615-715pm  Buffalo Grove 2 vs. GMP Gray 1

730-830pm  St Ignatius 0 vs. West Michigan Varsity 2

Saturday, October 8th:

830-930am GMP Black 4 vs. St Ignatius 3

845-945am Lake Central Blue 5 vs. GMP Gray 1

215-315pm SWM Blades 0 vs. Buffalo Grove 1

330-430pm WM Varsity 5 vs. Penn Gold 3

745-845pm SWM Blades 3 vs. St Ignatius 2

815-915pm GMP Gray 5 vs. Penn Gold 2

915-1015pm WM Varsity 5 vs. GMP Black 6

930-1030pm LC Blue 4 vs. Buffalo Grove 4

Sunday, October 9th:

Semi Final 8-930am, BGHW 1 vs WMV 4

Semi Final 945-1115am, SWM BLADES 2 vs GMP BLACK 0

Consolation, 1130-1230am, St Ignatius 8 vs Penn 1

Consolation, 1245-145pm, GMP Gray 5 vs LC Blue 2

Championship, SWM Blades 0 vs  WM Varsity 2

Blades wrap up the tourney weekend with a 4-1 record and end up falling in the finals to NM United, 2-6.

Friday, 9/23:  SWM Blades 5-0 vs. Sylvania Northstars

Saturday, 9/24:  SWM Blades 4-2 vs. MI Elite

Saturday, 9/24:  SWM Blades 5-0 vs. Mattawan SS

Sunday, 9/25:  SWM Blades Semis 5-2 vs. Team Michiana

Sunday 9/25:  SWM Blades Finals 2-6 vs. NM United

Congrats to senior Nate Willcutt of Vicksburg who has been named, your 34th captain of the 22-23 SWM Blades.  Congrats Nate, well deserved.

Great Run for the Blades!

GM 1 2-0 vs. Bishop Noll

GM 2 1-2 vs. HSE A

GM 3 4-1 vs. Lake Central Blue

GM 4 2-3 vs. Culver Academy

Blades make it to the 4A state semi finals for the first time.  Something to build on...

Your Blades split the weekend series with Gilmour Academy, losing 2-3 on Saturday and in dramatic fashion, grabbing the "dub" 3-2 on Sunday.  It took a 3 on 3 OT and 8 men deep into a shootout to determine the winner.  Senior, Jack Tomer played fantastic in net and senior Chase Stenger snuck one in off the right post for the GWG.

From our team to yours, have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

A-Blaine Shafer

C-Austin Ziegler

Leadership/Community Service Chair-Chase Stenger

C-Chris Bigelow

A-Parker Lawrence

Your Blades won their first league game vs. LSJ over the weekend and improve their record to 5-1.  Highlights include Ian Mazzola notching his first HS goal including 2 on the PP as well as Tristan Williams, getting his first.  Shutout by Adam Weeden.

Your Blades will be hosting the Great Lakes Kickoff Classic this weekend in Kalamazoo:

Friday:  SWM Blades vs. Lake Central Blue, 445pm

Saturday:  SWM Blades vs. Buffalo Grove, 215pm

Saturday:  SWM Blades vs. St. Ignatuis, 8pm

Sunday: Consolation, Semi Finals, Finals TBD

It's a great time to be a BLADE!

Your Blades won their first league game vs. LSJ over the weekend and improve their record to 6-1.  Highlights include Ian Mazzola notching his first HS goal including 2 on the PP as well as Tristan Williams, getting his first.  Shutout by Adam Weeden.

Your Blades will be hosting the Great Lakes Kickoff Classic this weekend in Kalamazoo:

Friday:  SWM Blades vs. Lake Central Blue, 445pm

Saturday:  SWM Blades vs. Buffalo Grove, 215pm

Saturday:  SWM Blades vs. St. Ignatuis, 8pm

Sunday: Consolation, Semi Finals, Finals TBD

It's a great time to be a BLADE!

https://www.eliteprospects.com/team/24505/kalamazoo-blades

http://ishsha.com/files/ti_2022_tryouts.pdf

Your Blades finish the season with their first league playoff championship in league history.  A streak of 75 days with only two loses highlights the run!  Currently, your Blades sit #4 in the state in the GD(goal differential) department at 2.96 GPG.  Click the link below to view all 147 teams in the state:

http://myhockeyrankings.com/rank.php?y=2017&a=4&v=728&g=0

Your Blades brought home some 1st place hardware, in the top bracket of the annual Walter E  invite in Strongsville, OH. this weekend.   Game scores:

Blades 10 Talawanda 1

Blades 6 St Francis De Sales 1

Blades 3 Hudson 3

Blades 5 Strongsville 4(double overtime)

Jaxon Dobrowolski was named tournament MVP contributing to the overall success of the team and burying the game winning goal in the final game.  He  also had 0 penalties this weekend.

With much anticipation, the SWM Blades would like to announce Ben Blacker as their new assistant/goalie coach for the upcoming season. Ben is very excited to be apart of our staff and is looking forward to meeting everyone soon!  

Accolades:  Played for 2 seasons in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids Roughriders where he was named second team All-USHL.  He led the league with 33 wins while posting a 2.25 GAA and .926 save percentage.  As a WMU Bronco, he had a sensational rookie season:  Started 29 games  and was to the NCHC All Rookie team...helped the Broncos get to the NCAA Playoffs and furthermore, Frozen Four!

Get to Know Your Coach

Q:  What was your biggest highlight of your rookie season?

A:  "Beating Nebraska Omaha in Game 3, in OT, to move on to the Frozen Four in Minny"

Q:  Knowing how lucky we are have Coach Murray at the helm,  how is it being a player for him?

A:   "He is one of the most fun/toughest coaches to play for.  He takes great pride in making sure all of his players are the best they can be.  However, that means he will push you to our limit and then some to make sure you are the...perfect you.  He is a very funny and energetic coach. who is always a pleasure to be around

Q:  What are you looking forward to most, with your new coaching position? 

A:  "I'm looking forward to seeing the talent, hardwork and passion these young men have to give.  Hockey is not only a game that many of us love to play,  it is also is a platform that teaches respect, work ethic, and morals.  For me, being able to help these young men improve their skills not only on the ice, but to hopefully have an impact on their lives off the ice...is just a small part in what I can do to give back to the amazing game and community of Kalamazoo who has supported the WMU Bronco Hockey team, every step of the way.