The city’s best young hockey players no longer need to leave the five boroughs to play at the highest level.
This fall Aviator Sports and Events Center’s program is set to begin its first season at Tier 1 for all levels — the highest level recognized by USA Hockey.
Aviator’s is the only program in the city to hold that designation, and the first one in 12 years. Top-flight players can now get that experience closer to home.
“It’s created an opportunity for players in the five boroughs,” said Chris Werstine, the Aviator Sports hockey director. “That’s the biggest thing. In the past you would have to go to Nassau County or Suffolk County. You would have to jump over the bridge and go to New Jersey or Connecticut. Now it is just right here in your backyard.”
Aviator started offering hockey instruction in 2006, and fielded its first travel teams in 2008. More than half of its current players on its 14 teams have been with the program since they were 8 years old.
The program earned the move up to the top tier after four seasons at Tier 2 by showing an expanding organization and having its teams perform well at the state championships — and even against Tier 1 opponents. The travel teams have played all over the United States and also Canada. The Aviator program, which also attracts players from Long Island, takes pride in the fact that it built things from the ground up.
“Now they are kind of the fruits of our labor,” Werstine said. “It’s amazing. They started as these little guys, and now all of a sudden — bingo.”
Francis Kienzle is one of those players. The 15-year-old Xaverian standout first picked up a stick at Aviator’s Learn to Play program as a 7-year-old, and has played there ever since. He’s been given plenty of reasons to stay over the years and this is just another one.
“Our team has always been good,” he said. “I’ve never had to leave. The coaches are great, the kids, everybody.”
Playing at the Tier 1 level with Aviator’s 16-and-under Midget team will give Kienzle a chance not only to play against the best competition, but also to be seen by more college coaches.
“Getting scouted by top-notch coaches, being able to show them what you got, is going to be good,” said Joseph Fama, who plays for Aviator’s Midget team and New Dorp High School.
The season officially kicks off in September, but the teams have already begun limited practices. Werstine is realistic in his expectations, knowing both his coaches and fellow players will need to adjust to competing at the highest level. He hopes to see those adjustments made by the end of the season in March, allowing them then to begin building the program into one of the best Tier 1 organizations.
“For me, it is going to be a gradual process,” Werstine said. “Our first two to three years are going to be a struggle at some level. Our plan is three to five years out. Then we are going to start to be above 500 and challenge for league championships.”
The hard work toward that goal has already begun, and the Aviator program is certainly enjoying the opportunity it earned.
“You made it,” Werstine said. “This is paramount. This is the best AAA, Tier 1 hockey”
