Wasilla complex to host new puck tournament

May 10,2005

JEREMIAH BARTZ/Frontiersman sports editor

WASILLA - Last week the Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex earned the opportunity to host the 1-2-3A state high school wrestling championships. Now the complex has added another major prep event to its schedule.

In November, the Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex will host the first Curtis C. Menard II High School Invitational.

The prep hockey tournament is expected to be the biggest in the state on the 2005-06 regular season schedule. The inaugural Menard Invitational features Valley programs Houston, Colony, Wasilla and Palmer. Also participating will be Lathrop, Homer, Bartlett and Chugiak.

The biggest appeal to Bruce Urban and Jamie Smith, who are organizing the event in a cooperative effort, is the opportunity to have four Valley hockey teams under the same roof, in the same tournament.

"It's huge. It will bring the whole hockey community together and put our teams on display," said Smith, the Houston High School activities director and head varsity hockey coach. "Normally we don't get to watch those teams. If two are in town, two are on the road. We usually don't get to see each other, unless we play each other."

Urban, the recreation and cultural services manager for the city of Wasilla, and Smith began discussing the idea as early in January, and made arrangements to create the tourney before school finalized their prep sports schedule for next season.

Smith said when he approached fellow coaches with the idea of a new varsity hockey tournament, the response was completely positive.

"Teams have been looking for something different," Smith said.

Last season Houston competed in a six-team tournament at the Kenai Sports Center. That had been the biggest regular-season hockey tournament in the state.

Smith and Urban were also able to draw teams from four of the major regions in Alaska - Fairbanks, Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley and the Kenai Peninsula.

"That's been our goal - expose the facility to as many people state-wide as we can," Urban said.

The 2005 Menard Invitational, scheduled for Nov. 9-12, includes five teams who advanced to the state tournaments last year. Wasilla, Chugiak and Lathrop all competed in the 4A tourney, while Houston and Homer participated in the 3A championship

event.

Houston won the small school state title.

On Oct. 7 the Wasilla Multi-Sports Complex will host another special hockey event. Alaska Anchorage will play the University of Windsor at the facility.