Our Hockey Site
Team AM
Barry Roubaix has quickly become the largest gravel road race in America and it is held right here in West Michigan every March. Conditions over the past few years have ranged from 50 degrees and dry, to 19 degrees and icy. The 2014 race, held this past weekend, was somewhere in between at 33 degrees with some mud. Read the rest of this entry »
Barry Roubaix – Women’s Race Report
March 23rd, 2014 by Roxane Kippen, USA Triathlon Certified CoachAthletic Mentor Hockey Trainee Signs with Indiana Tech Warriors
March 4th, 2014 by Athletic Mentors
Athletic Mentors co-founder and head hockey coach Mark Olson is tipping his hat to Michael Schmitt, Battle Creek Revolution forward who has just signed with the Indiana Tech men’s hockey team.
“Michael’s been with our program for years and has proven himself to be disciplined, tough, and committed to excellence,” Coach Olson said. “He’s an outstanding athlete, and a great guy. Indiana Tech made a good call.”
Schmitt, who hails from Kalamazoo, is a 5-foot-7, 155-pound forward who played in 44 games in the NA3HL where he collected 12 points on seven goals and five assists. While his parents credit Olson’s coaching for much of their son’s “strength, leadership, and mental toughness,” Schmitt’s tireless hours of hard work finally paid off on the ice when he caught the eye of of Indiana Tech’s Head Coach, Frank DiCristofaro.
“I like Michael’s competitive edge,” said DiCristofaro in a press release. “He works hard on the ice and even harder off of it. He had a great understanding of the game and has some deceptive speed through the neutral zone. He is a true student-athlete and is the type of person we want in this program.”
When asked what it means to join the first hockey team at Indiana Tech, Schmitt said, “I am excited to become a part of the first college hockey program at Indiana Tech. The support they get from the school is amazing and the amenities they have is what drew me to their program.”
Forbrush 17k Freestyle Race Report
March 2nd, 2014 by Athletic Mentors
Kaitlyn Patterson crossing the finish line (photo courtesy of www.nordicskiracer.com)
Nordic skiers Kaitlyn Patterson and Ryan Harris represented Athletic Mentors well at the Forbrush Corner 17k Freestyle on February 15. With temperatures above zero, sunny skies and minimal wind, the participants received a great day for competition success. The Forbrush Corner track is filled with hills, creating a tough, always climbing or descending course. Kaitlyn dominated the race with a first place finish while Harris had an intense battle that landed him third place.
The men’s start was a little rough out of the gate given a few crashes before the first turn and during the wide climb. Skiers were ultra aggressive in getting to the front. Ryan Harris, alongside two other racers, broke away from the pack and had a clear lead, already minutes ahead of any other competitors. At the finish, Ryan was just barely beat by the two competitors; only two seconds separated first thru third place. He finished third with a time of 50:12.
The women’s top three was fairly tight as well, given the 40-second separation of the three places. Kaitlyn led the pack and performed at a fast pace, finishing first for the women and only ten minutes behind the men’s winner with a time of 60:10.
Kaitlyn credits part of her fast performance to the new, RCS Carbonlite hole skis she invested in during the middle of the season. Her new skis are ultra-light, responsive and overall give a faster feel.
“As much as I wanted to think that a strong engine can overcome sub-par equipment, I finally admitted that skis matter a lot in Nordic skiing,” she said. “Even with a warm base structure on cold races, they made a huge difference.”
Kaitlyn felt that she finally put everything together ‚Äî the powerhouse she’s been creating in training felt good and coupled with her new skis, she raced very well.
Although 5 degree weather doesn’t seem warm, competitors were relieved that the conditions were far less brutal than the VASA race the previous weekend, where the temperatures reached several degrees below zero. It was enjoyed enough that according to Kaitlyn, the sun gave ample warmth for post-race food and drinks on the patio.
“Overall, another great day of racing in Northern Michigan,” Kaitlyn said.