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Interviews with Past and New CHC Presidents
Hello CHC Players, Parents, Families and Friends,
Once again it is hard to believe that summer is gone, school is starting and hockey season is sitting right in front of us. Everyone at CT Hockey hopes that you did have a great summer and are ready for a productive and positive season. While we did find plenty of time to get our batteries recharged, we also spent time since last year getting ready for the upcoming season.
A change we wanted to highlight in this note is the change in leadership for the CT Hockey Conference. At the beginning of the summer, Mike Meakem became the past President of CHC and Tom Regan took over the President responsibilities of our organization.
Please read below to see their answers to some question posed to them by CT Hockey News. Welcome to another season of ice hockey. Let's do all that we can to make it a FUN year for everyone involved!
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Some Departing Thoughts From Mike Meakem
CT Hockey News: What do you feel were the accomplishments / differences you brought about during your term at the helm?
Mike Meakem: Open and improved communications is probably the biggest accomplishment. Second would be to improve the tarnished image CHC had developed.
CT Hockey News: What were some of the surprises you had as President?
Mike Meakem: How time consuming and emotionally draining this volunteer position is. Being an optimist, and always wanting to please everyone all of the time, I was quite surprised by the behavior of a vocal minority of adults that exhaust the volunteers within CHC and the local programs. It is the old 5% receive 90% of your attention rule. I was surprised at how much was actually accomplished within CHC during the past few years, much to the credit of grounded, dedicated volunteers.
CT Hockey News: What do you believe are some of the greatest challenges facing CHC going forward?
Mike Meakem: Perhaps the biggest challenge is the challenge to change the culture that exists today in youth sports. Unfortunately, in most situations participation has a very high financial cost, there is too much focus on games and winning, and the adults are not letting the kids just have fun be the highest priority. Fix these challenges and youth hockey will be a much more enjoyable experience for kids and parents.
CT Hockey News: What do you wish CHC members knew about any aspect of hockey in CT?
Mike Meakem: I wish that all parents of kids playing hockey in CT could listen to the experts involved in developing the USA Hockey American Development Model (ADM). So many experts involved in this new direction for youth hockey have a powerful message to spread, and so few people are hearing how the ADM will shape their young hockey players in hockey and in life. CT Hockey News: We will bring you more information on ADM in future issues.
Background information on Tom Regan
CT Hockey News: What has your involvement been with Hockey in Connecticut?
Tom Regan: I have been involved with hockey in Connecticut for more that 35 years on as a player, coach, parent and volunteer. As a player in the late '70's I started out playing in the Greater New Haven Youth Hockey League. I progressed from there through high school hockey, at both Wilbur Cross and Notre Dame (West Haven), and on to Trinity College in Hartford.
I have been involved as a parent, coach and board member with the Avon Canton Farmington Youth Hockey Association for the last 7 years, where I currently serve as Avon's CHC Representative and its Squirt Division Director. In addition, I am a Level 4 certified coach and have coached at every level in the Avon program from Learn to Skate through Bantam A, and currently also serve as Avon's Assistant Coaching Director.
CT Hockey News: What roles have you previously played in CHC?
Tom Regan: This past season, I served on the CHC Tournament Committee, as the CHC Squirt Director, where I was responsible for organizing and hosting the Tier 2 and Tier 3 Squirt State Tournaments, and also putting together the Tier 4 Squirt State Tournaments.
I am the parent of a 10 year old Avon Squirt, who has played at both the Tier 4 and the Tier 2 levels over the last five years.
CT Hockey News: What real world experience do you have that can benefit CHC and Connecticut hockey overall?
Tom Regan: Professionally, I have practiced law for the last 14 years and I am currently a partner in the Hartford office of Brown Rudnick LLP, a national law firm. My legal practice is concentrated in the areas of real estate, land use, utility regulation, administrative law and government relations. I hold a Bachelor of Arts with Honors from Trinity College, a Master's Degree in Public and Private Management from the Yale School of Management and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Connecticut. As part of my legal practice, I served as legal counsel to the American Hockey League's Beast of New Haven franchise from 1996 through 1999. I have also advised both private developers and academic institutions on issues related to the development of arenas and athletic facilities.
CT Hockey News: What do you hope to achieve with CHC this season?
Tom Regan: First, to continue the incredible progress Mike and Jim Lanza have made in improving CHC's reputation through continued open communication and active involvement with all of CHC's member organizations. My second goal is to focus on the growth of hockey in Connecticut through increased support of initiatives such as Grow the Game and the implementation of American Development Model. We must continue to attract new players of all ages to the game. In order to accomplish this, we must continue to fine new ways to make the game affordable for everyone, with continued emphasize on "fun" as the goal for youth hockey at all levels.
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