PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Organizers of a new youth hockey program in the region are hoping to extend the season and provide opportunities for players looking to sharpen their skills.

 

The Atlantic Coast Academy will hold tryouts on April 3 in North Adams for its fall program, the Atlantic Coast Selects.

 

Players born from 2004 to 2009 are eligible to play for the Atlantic Coast Selects, a travel program that offers twice weekly practices and games in showcase events that attract scouts from collegiate, prep and junior hockey programs.

 

"Ultimately, the league is structured around a couple of showcase events," said Mike Taylor, the owner of the Atlantic Coast Academy and an assistant coach in the Wahconah Regional High School hockey program. "We'll play two showcases in the fall from that league.

 

"They get scouts and recruiters to come see the kids. The league is basically helping the kids to play showcases against good teams and get the looks that they need."

 

Once local players get seen, they often get noticed, Taylor said.

 

"We've had players interested in [Connecticut's] South Kent School, so we talked to them, sent them film and invited them to come to our showcases, which they did," Taylor said. "Last year, with the winter team I did, we opened the door for two kids, Omar Uqudah and Isaac Anello, to go to the Florida Junior Blades. We reached out to them and talked to them about Omar and Isaac. [The Blades' coach] talked to them, invited them out there to camp, and they both played."

 

Taylor has enlisted the help of longtime Berkshire County hockey coaches Dan Kearns and Darin Lane along with former pro Tristan Lysko, who relocated to the area after a career that included a year with the Berkshire Battalion.

 

Along with visiting coaches from youth programs as far away as Long Island, Taylor offers instruction and competitive opportunities through the fall's Selects, which have their tryouts on April 3 at the Peter W. Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Rink, and the Atlantic Coast Elite, a spring/summer travel program.

 

The Elites attracted more than 220 players to its tryout program in December, Taylor said. This spring, it will have teams of players ages 8 to 18.

 

"Basically, the Elites will have one showcase per month April to August," Taylor said. "That allows them to play baseball, lacrosse, whatever else they do but also still stay on the ice, playing a high level and competing in front of college and junior recruiters."

 

Just as he does not see the expanded youth hockey calendar interfering with other sports, Taylor does not see the Atlantic Coast Elites or Atlantic Coast Selects as interfering with other youth hockey programs.

 

On the contrary, he sees them as dovetailing with established programs the way Dalton's Rip City Academy has expanded opportunities for area baseball players who have gone on to excel a the Little League, Babe Ruth and high school level.

 

"We, ultimately, are working with youth programs like the Northern Berkshire Black Bears and Berkshire Bruins," Taylor said. "Our goal is to introduce kids to a high level of hockey. Ultimately, that's going to strengthen all the programs in the Berkshires. That's kind of our goal."

 

Families interested in next fall’s Atlantic Coast Selects travel hockey program should visit its website or email Taylor at mike@acahockey.com.