What is "AAA" Midget Hockey?

The "Fall Classic"

The Electricians will again host the "Ninth Annual Marquette Electricians Fall Classic" on the first weekend in October. This tournament has become one of the best Major Midget tournaments in the United States. Among the Tournament Champions have been both U.S. (Alaska All-Stars, Detroit Little Caesars) and Canadian (Thunder Bay Kings) National Champions.
 
 

 The Electricians "AAA" Hockey Team was formed in 1986 to provide an opportunity for Upper Peninsula hockey players to compete at the highest level possible without having to travel too far from home. Although we are an Upper Peninsula based team, players from Lower Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Iowa, Texas, Colorado, Utah, Alaska and Finland have called themselves Marquette Electricians.
 
 

Non-Resident players are housed with families from the Marquette community. Often these are families from the local hockey program who volunteer to take in a  student-athlete for the hockey season. Temporary guardianship papers are filed with the local District court that give the housing parent the right to act in the players best interest, but does not remove custody from the legal parents. In keeping with NCAA regulations, room and board payments are charged.
 
 

One of the major benefits of playing hockey for the Electricians is the fact that all of the players attend Marquette Senior High School. This is important especially to the nonresident players who can interact with their teammates in both educational and social functions and not just see them at the rink.
 
 

The City of Marquette is located on the beautiful South shore of Lake Superior in Michigans' Upper Peninsula. It is accessible by air from Detroit and Minneapolis via Northwest Airlines, from Milwaukee via Midwest Express, and from Chicago via  United Airlines. By car we are 8 hours from Detroit, 7 hours from Minneapolis, and 6 hours from Chicago. Marquette and its' surrounding townships have a population of about 36.000, and Northern Michigan University has an enrollment of about 8,500. Shopping malls, movie theaters, golf courses and both downhill and cross-country ski facilities, along with events that surround a major State University, including Division I and II athletic events and a major Regional Medical Center, all within 10 minutes of each other make Marquette an ideal place to spend the hockey season.
 
 

The Electricians own a 43 passenger motor coach that has been fitted with study tables, 2 televisions and a VCR. Seats have been removed and realigned to allow for maximum passenger comfort.

Head Coach Jon Nebel begins his 3rd season with the Electricians after a 10 year stint as the head coach of the Marquette American Legion Bantams. In his first tour with the Electricians, he was Assistant Coach for the 1984 National Champions, and as Co-Coach in 1986, was the National Runner-up. He took the Legion to 4 National Tournaments in 10 years, and in 1996 won the National Title. Coach Nebel is a 1982 graduate of the Ferris State University school of Pharmacy, and holds the USA Hockey Masters Level coaching certification. He has twice been named "Coach of the Year" by the Marquette Junior Hockey Corporation. Coach Nebel utilizes a system that emphasizes a high degree of individual player skill development. His program encourages continued growth of the quality
player who possesses skills in all aspects of the game.
Assistant Coach Dr. Alan Swanson D.V.M. is a 1972 graduate of the Michigan State University School of Veterinary Medicine. He Captained the Spartan hockey team in his Senior year, and was a member of the 1967 NCAA National Championship team.
Assistant Coach Dr. John Lehtinen MD, one of the most preeminent Sports Medicine physicians in the country, was a staff physician at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, and was the Head Physician for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He holds the USA Hockey Masters Level Coaching Certification. The Electricians support staff is probably one of the finest in the country. Our medical staff is headed up by Assistant Coach Dr. John Lehtinen MD. Dr. Lehtinen is also the team physician for Northern Michigan University Hockey, and a co-founder and member emeritus of the Board of Directors of the Electricians. Dr. Lehtinen is supported by  Kurt Kerry P.T. and the staff of Marquette General Hospital Sports Rehab Department who supply an Athletic Trainer for all home games, and are on call for all practices. Kurt is also the supervisor of the Electricians extensive off ice program.
 
 

The Electricians play all of their home games at the 4,200 seat Lakeview Arena, which is also the old home of the 1991 NCAA National Champion Northern Michigan University Wildcats. Playing and practicing in the same area with one of the top College Hockey programs in the country gives the players a glimpse of what lies ahead of them, and what it takes to become a Division I player.

Chartered in 1946, our principal sponsor, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 1070 covers Electricians in Marquette, Alger, Luce, Chippewa, and Mackinac Counties. Besides hockey, the Local has team sponsorships in Pop Warner Football, Mens Softball, and Little League Baseball. In addition, various personal sponsorships have been made in Luge, Childrens Trust Fund, Girl Scouts, Special Olympics, BMX, DARE and Skiing, along with the Make-a-Wish Foundation and numerous other charities. The Local has provided manpower and materials for Bay Cliff Health Camp (provides services for handicapped children), Janzen House (indigent housing), The Womens Center, The Maritime Museum, Habitat for Humanity and Adopt-a-Park. Local Union 1070 believes that the children are our future. Our Union motto is: "the Union of Hearts and Minds".

Our main purpose is to provide a showcase for our players to display their talents in front of Junior "A" and College scouts. Last season 17 former Electricians were playing on Junior "A" teams. The Electricians currently have former players competing at  Michigan Tech, and St. Cloud State (WCHA); Northern Michigan University, Ferris State, Notre Dame, and UA-Fairbanks (CCHA); and U. Mass. - Amherst (Hockey East) in Division I, and the University of Wisconsin - Stout in Division III. Former Electrician Players - Where Are They Now?