March 12, 2013

Dear Coaches,

 The 2013 MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase was very successful, exciting and one of the largest attended in the history of the event.  The process for determining opponents for each game produced the competition for which it was designed: 21 games were decided by one goal including 10 games that were decided by shoot-outs.  Over 10,000 fans and 85+ scouts (professional, junior and/or college level) were in attendance.  

The dates for the 2014 MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase are Thursday, February 6^th, Friday, February 7^th and Saturday, February 8^th.   The MIHL, the City of Trenton and Trenton Public Schools will co-host the Showcase at the Kennedy Ice Arena in Trenton, Michigan.  Approximately 36-40 teams will be selected to compete in the 2014 MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase.

The stated goal of the MIHL is to maintain the reputation of the Prep Hockey Showcase as the premier high school hockey event in Michigan, outside of the MHSAA state tournament.  However, this success comes with challenges and the main challenge for the 2014 MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase is to establish an equitable method and process for the selection of participating teams.  The ten (10) members of the MIHL are automatic selections.  This leaves 26-30 openings and presently there are many more teams that have expressed interest in playing in the MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase next year.

The MIHL instituted the following selection process:

1. All teams must file a formal application to participate in the 2014 MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase.  The application and instructions appear at the end of this letter. This application must be received by the MIHL by no later than April 12, 2013.
2. The MIHL Selection Committee will evaluate the applications and select a field of teams for the 2014 MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase by April 30, 2013.  Teams not selected will also be notified. 
3. The games schedules and opponents for each team will be assigned in the second week of January, 2014.
4. If you participated in past Showcases and are not interested in applying for the 2014 MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase, please advise us at once.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Todd Johnson at: tjdcc@comcast.net.

It is not a perfect process, but it is an attempt by the MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase Selection Committee to maintain the integrity and mission of the MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase – that is, to have the best teams and the most skilled players showcase their abilities and talents in a two game competitive atmosphere.  If your team is not selected to participate in the 2014 MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase, it does not preclude your team from being selected for future Showcases – the field is expected to change annually.

Respectfully,

Todd Johnson

Secretary, MIHL

Chairman, MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase Selection Committee

The Application for the 2014 MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase can be downloaded from the link below.

Complete the Application and email it to Todd Johnson (tjdcc@comcast.net) and copy Andy Weidenbach (aweidenbach@cranbrook.edu)