Manatees mingle with fans at Booster Club Meeting

Manatees mingle with fans at Booster Club Meeting

By Tidalshark The Miami Manatee Booster Club held their first meeting/fan outing, Tuesday, September 9, at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company in Bayside, just a short jaunt from the Manatees home ice at the Miami Arena. Approximately 50 fans showed up to meet with the Manatee players and staff members. "We're going to have a tough team," said Manatee coach Zac Boyer during his introduction to the crowd. "I know you all like fights, but our team will be hard hitting, fast and exciting. "I won a championship in the WHA and I'm committed to bring a championship team to Miami." The WHA2, which is in its inaugural season of hockey, is the developmental league for the World Hockey Association, which will start playing for the 2004-05 season. The Manatee take the ice in the WHA2 for the upcoming season, and will upgrade to the WHA next year. Continuing in the steps of the short lived Atlantic Coast Hockey League; the WHA2 will play a wide-open game. Tied games will go to a three-on-three overtime situation. If the teams still remained tied at the end of the overtime, the teams will progress to a five-player shoot out format, and then to sudden-death shoot out. Only the winning team will log points in the team standings. The losing team, even though the game ended in a tie in regulation, will receive no points. The league limits to the teams to six veterans each. There is no rookie minimum or maximum, nor will the team be required to carry a certain number of American players. "We have a number of American born players on our team though," said Boyer. "American hockey has come a long way." The Manatee are actively recruiting players who have Junior Major or NCAA experience, although exception Tier II players also have a chance to make the team. Alejandro Ortiz is an American born player of Cuban heritage who attended a combined try out camp for the Manatee, Orlando Seals, Lakeland Loggerheads and Jacksonville Barracuda earlier this year. Ortiz has been playing Tier II hockey with the University of Florida and has received an invitation to the Manatees training camp. "Alex was surprise," said Boyer, "because he didn't start playing hockey until he was 17. He's exceptional however, and I could see no difference between the way he plays and the way I play or the way (Matt Kohansky) plays." The league operates under a salary cap, and although the exact figure was not revealed, it is believed to be in the $6,600 per week range. Players will receive an average of $400 per week while playing for the Manatee, and they will also have their housing provided for them by the team. "They're housed at a tower complex across the street from the Miami Arena," said Direction of Communications Mark Fischel. "It's a gated community, the apartments are beautiful and the players can walk to practice." Fischel was also introduced as the Manatee play-by-play announcer. The team hopes to broadcast their games via the IRN.fm website during the season. Fans interested in purchasing season tickets are invited to come down to the Miami Arena and tour the facility. Simply place a call to Fischel at 1-800-sea-cows, ext. 102 and he'll be happy to have someone meet you and show you around. A season ticket referral program was also introduced. Any fan that brings in six or more season ticket sales will receive a jersey signed by the entire team. More outings are planned in the future including a cruise on the Sun Coast Casino ships. Web posted on Sept. 9, 2003		Home News Booster Club Roster Schedule Photos Links Email: [email protected] 2-Minute Minor A Hockey Blog Hockey Autographs! This article is copyright 2003 by Animal Antix Designs. All Rights Reserved.

By Tidalshark

The Miami Manatee Booster Club held their first meeting/fan outing, Tuesday, September 9, at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company in Bayside, just a short jaunt from the Manatees home ice at the Miami Arena. Approximately 50 fans showed up to meet with the Manatee players and staff members.

"We're going to have a tough team," said Manatee coach Zac Boyer during his introduction to the crowd. "I know you all like fights, but our team will be hard hitting, fast and exciting.

"I won a championship in the WHA and I'm committed to bring a championship team to Miami."

The WHA2, which is in its inaugural season of hockey, is the developmental league for the World Hockey Association, which will start playing for the 2004-05 season. The Manatee take the ice in the WHA2 for the upcoming season, and will upgrade to the WHA next year.

Continuing in the steps of the short lived Atlantic Coast Hockey League; the WHA2 will play a wide-open game. Tied games will go to a three-on-three overtime situation. If the teams still remained tied at the end of the overtime, the teams will progress to a five-player shoot out format, and then to sudden-death shoot out. Only the winning team will log points in the team standings. The losing team, even though the game ended in a tie in regulation, will receive no points.

The league limits to the teams to six veterans each. There is no rookie minimum or maximum, nor will the team be required to carry a certain number of American players.

"We have a number of American born players on our team though," said Boyer. "American hockey has come a long way."

The Manatee are actively recruiting players who have Junior Major or NCAA experience, although exception Tier II players also have a chance to make the team.

Alejandro Ortiz is an American born player of Cuban heritage who attended a combined try out camp for the Manatee, Orlando Seals, Lakeland Loggerheads and Jacksonville Barracuda earlier this year. Ortiz has been playing Tier II hockey with the University of Florida and has received an invitation to the Manatees training camp.

"Alex was surprise," said Boyer, "because he didn't start playing hockey until he was 17. He's exceptional however, and I could see no difference between the way he plays and the way I play or the way (Matt Kohansky) plays."

The league operates under a salary cap, and although the exact figure was not revealed, it is believed to be in the $6,600 per week range. Players will receive an average of $400 per week while playing for the Manatee, and they will also have their housing provided for them by the team.

"They're housed at a tower complex across the street from the Miami Arena," said Direction of Communications Mark Fischel. "It's a gated community, the apartments are beautiful and the players can walk to practice."

Fischel was also introduced as the Manatee play-by-play announcer. The team hopes to broadcast their games via the IRN.fm website during the season.

Fans interested in purchasing season tickets are invited to come down to the Miami Arena and tour the facility. Simply place a call to Fischel at 1-800-sea-cows, ext. 102 and he'll be happy to have someone meet you and show you around.

A season ticket referral program was also introduced. Any fan that brings in six or more season ticket sales will receive a jersey signed by the entire team.

More outings are planned in the future including a cruise on the Sun Coast Casino ships.

Web posted on Sept. 9, 2003

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