Coyotes Amateur Hockey and PF Chang's Hockey Continue Agreement

Scottsdale, AZ (Vocus) March 13, 2008 -- The Coyotes Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) and the PF Chang's Tier I Hockey Program have announced an affiliation agreement for the 2008-2009 hockey season. In addition, PF Chang's Hockey will add a Bantam U14 Tier I team. This team will compliment the nationally ranked PF Chang's U16 & U18 teams. All three teams will practice and play their home games at the state-of-the-art Alltel Ice Den, home training center for the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes.

The partnership between CAHA, PF Chang's and the Alltel Ice Den began officially last season with all entities seeing immediate benefits. "We were very pleased with the addition of Chang's hockey this year, said Coyotes Amateur Hockey Director Mike De Angelis. "Tier I is the goal of any competitive youth player and the Chang's program has quickly established itself as one of the premier Tier I programs in the United States... it's a nice, complimentary piece to the overall CAHA package."

De Angelis, a former Olympic and minor pro player has been guiding the fortunes of the Coyotes Amateur Hockey Association for four years and has seen the program blossom into a contending entity in the local and national hockey market. This year, the CAHA Jr. Coyotes U16 Tier II and Bantam '93 Tier II teams both won the Arizona State Championship and are advancing to the USA Hockey Rocky Mountain Regional tournament.

As the parent organization, CAHA will again register all PF Chang's teams for the 2008-2009 season including the new Bantam team. "We're excited to expand the program to include players at the Bantam age group (U14), says PF Chang's Hockey Director, Jim Johnson. "We think it's critical to provide this age group with an elite level of development for skills and fundamentals."

The PF Chang's organization was founded in 2006 to combine the top coaching professionals and the best young hockey talent in Arizona. It is dedicated to helping Tier I level hockey players realize their athletic dreams by providing the very best in hockey development, sportsmanship, integrity, coaching, and exposure for the elite hockey player in the State of Arizona.

Johnson, a former NHL defenseman and a USA Hockey nationally ranked coaching luminary, heads the PF Chang's coaching staff which includes:

Brendan Shaw

Mike De Angelis

Scott Abbey

Shadow Smith

Josh Brooks

Johnson added, "Our partnership this year with CAHA and the Ice Den was tremendous. As a nationally recognized program, we need to offer our players a top notch facility to train and further their development as they strive to achieve their career goals. The Ice Den definitely provides that opportunity."

Not only does the PF Chang's program focus on development and training but they also provide players expertise in moving to the next level, which includes Junior "A" Tier I, Tier II and College programs. Chang's has established relationships and affiliations with top colleges, prep schools and junior programs and coaches across the country, all of who can track the progress of the Chang's players through the program website.

PF Chang's tryout information and registration is available on the PF Chang's Hockey website at www.pfchangshockey.com

PF Chang's Tryout Dates:

BANTAM TIER I - April 25-27th

MIDGET U16/U18 Tier I - May 25th-28th

CAHA Jr. Coyotes tryout information and registration is available on the CAHA website at www.jrcoyoteshockey.com

Jr. Coyotes Tryout Dates:

MITE & SQUIRT - April 14-16

PEEWEE - MIDGET - April 21-27

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