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CT RoughRiders Recruitment

WHAT IT TAKES TO BE AN ROUGHRIDER?

The RoughRider player must have’s:

  • Desire: to work hard on and off the ice and do whatever it takes to make the RoughRider better as a team
  • Character: we look for future leaders. One who can lead by example in the class room, locker room, community, on and off the ice.
  • Hockey IQ: As a RoughRider you, a premium is placed on skill, however you need to be able to think the game in order to play the game.
  • Learning Ability: So often players are put in one position their entire hockey career, they have trouble adapting when they move up to Junior hockey and NCAA. We look for players who can learn and fill different rolls and do it with a smile. Scoring many goals at Mites too Bantams at a AAA level is great, however, can you block a shot or the better question will you block a shot? Kill a penalty? These are the character traits that a RoughRiders must demonstrate in order to be selected as one of the chosen few.

ABOUT THE CT ROUGHRIDERS

The Connecticut RoughRiders are members the Eastern Hockey League (EHL) for Junior "A".

RoughRiders teams will interact with one another unlike the typical youth hockey organization.  With an emphasis on development, the organization's teams will provide RoughRiders coaching staff and outside recruiters an opportunity to view our players within a system, as they grow both physically and mentally as hockey players.  Each player within our ranks will have an opportunity to play at the "next level" within the RoughRiders' organization.  As such, our organization will be a true "feeder" system, where players will be groomed to participate at our top EHL level.  

The RoughRiders organization will become a gateway for athletes to develop both as players and as students.  Player talent in our development model will be nurtured with a view toward both academic and athletic careers.  We expect responsible and committed scholar athletes to strive towards excellence; as an organization it is our goal to expose players to hockey opportunities at the collegiate level and beyond.  Part of the philosophy of the RoughRiders as an organization includes the notion that athletic talent must be balanced with education, and we foster this balance in a manner that prepares our players to become responsible educated young men, who will go on to become assets to the sport as well as their communities.

Typically, our teams will consist of local players and those who will travel varying distances and billet with local families.  EHL Jr. "A" players are expected to come from a much broader geographical spectrum.  Other teams in the EHL have players from all across North America, Europe and Internationally.  The RoughRiders organization will seek out its talent in the same or similar manners as other junior level teams, and we expect similar cross section trending of players at the Jr. "A" level.   

RoughRiders teams have dedicated pro style locker rooms in our home rink, SoNo Ice House.  SoNo Ice House is a state-of-the-art facility that is a true hockey development center. Our players have team training sessions with certified personal trainer and former professional hockey player, Dave Seidel is our strength & conditioning coach in the gym which is inside our home rink. Along with our experienced and professional coaching staff make this the ideal hockey development program.

About the RoughRider Sports Club. Founded in 1999, in Cedar Rapids Iowa as the USHL Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Hockey Club, the club currently has thousands of member athletes participating in various sports in Colorado, Kansas, Iowa and Connecticut.