Features > Generals Prepare Itself for Tier III Junior A
Generals Prepare Itself for Tier III Junior A
by Chris Bilder, Generals Staff Writer
Eugene, OR- After only two years at the Junior B level, the Eugene Generals, along with the other teams from the NOR PAC, will be moving up to compete at the Tier III Junior A level. This move comes after NOR PAC decided at a recent board meeting to apply for that status due to the increased competitiveness of its teams over the past two years. The official approval from USA Hockey is expected after its annual meeting in June.
The Generals, who, over the past two seasons, have had successful seasons on the ice with appearances in the league final in its inaugural seaon and the Pacific Division final last season, look to continue that success at the next level. "There's no question that our franchise always wanted to make the jump, but none of us thought it would come so quickly. Our success on the ice and the hard work of all our staff off the ice has made this jump to Junior A possible," said Generals GM Flint Doungchak.
The move to Junior A will definitely increase the level play in the league in the upcoming season. The Generals have already begun their scouting for the upcoming season. "We already had kids in the pipeline, but with the expected increase in level of play, there's no question that we have work to do to compete at Junior A," said Generals Head Coach Chris Hartly. "It's exciting and nerve racking at the same time."
"Our goal has always been to improve, promote, and provide opportunity for the game of ice hockey in Eugene. We feel we've done a pretty good job of that over the past two years. This move to Junior A is just the next step in a long journey of developing a tradition of great ice hockey in the Lane County area. I'm excited about the coming season," said Generals Owner Ken Evans. The Generals have seen substantial fan base growth over the last two years. Last year, over 45,000 fans watched Generals games both live and on its internet broadcast, GiTV. The success on the ice, has broght the support of sponsors. "The support has been wonderful and we look forward to fostering even more partnerships in the coming months," said Doungchak.
The Generals will continue to compete with the same teams in the NOR PAC as they have over the past two seasons, but every team will be making roster adjustments as they prepare to compete at Junior A. In addition, pending league approval, teams from Medford, OR, Missoula, MT, and Great Falls, MT, will be joining NOR PAC. NOR PAC will then become one of the largest and most competitive leagues in nation. However, it has yet to win a National title. "We're all making strides to compete at Nationals, but hockey's a competitve game and we're going to have to just keep pluging away," said Hartly, "Our time will come."