Northern Express Hockey

Our Beginning...

Back in 1969, when the Park Ridge Park district turned its Hockey program over to parents of Park Ridge, a new and exciting age of hockey began in our area. The Northern Express Hockey Association was born. A not-for-profit organization dedicated to the development of travel hockey in its community. Prior to the birth of the Northern Express the club was known as the Park Ridge Hornets. Today, the program is going strong, as we enter our 40th year.

We Are Family

Northern Express prides itself on being a family oriented program. From our "Learn to Skate" program through to our Midget teams, we believe all our members are "family." Our open policies and our leadership team are committed to the development of the youth of our organization. Competitiveness is important, but so are loyalty, commitment, compassion and integrity. We believe that the balance we maintain has contributed to our success.

Development, Development, Development

Development starts at an early age and the "Learn To Skate" program conducted by the Northern Express and the Park Ridge Park District have developed a program that is geared in steps with the end result being a child playing the game of hockey with confidence and skill.

Skills Night

Improving a player's skill is an important part of development and to supplement the development they receive in practice and in games we have skill specific sessions throughout the season. They will have Power Skating skill sessions where only skating is worked on; they will have sessions that will focus on shooting, passing, stick handling and checking. These sessions are instructed by our highly skilled and motivated skills instructors.

Don't forget the Goalies! This year our goalie instructor(s) will be attending the "skills nights" to provide more of a "one on one" atmosphere. They will work with the goaltenders at that level, for that night. They will also be attending team practices to re-enforce the skills taught to the goaltenders. We are proud to have The Wendel Young School of Goaltending with his Instructors working with our goaltenders.

Our Program

Express places competitive teams that play in the Northern Illinois Hockey League in the fall season. We offer gold, silver and bronze skill level teams, in addition to A-2 mite major and minor teams. In the spring, our teams compete in select tournaments and Extreme Hockey camps. We also offer a two-week conditioning camp in the late summer called "X-Camp" in which our entire professional coaching staff jointly prepare and run drills to prepare our players for tryouts. Our coaching staff is second to none in its experience and ability. This is quite evident in the success our teams have had in the past several years in obtaining NIHL championship and runner up flags.

The "Learn To Skate" program that takes place on Sunday mornings and Friday evenings at the Oakton ice arena. It has been the stepping stone for many future hockey careers in our organization.

Fun

In addition to our player development and team competition, we have a lot more for our member families.
At tryouts, we are proud of our "family cookout" on the last day, where players and their families who have participated in the intense ritual of travel hockey tryouts, can relax, eat and enjoy our family atmosphere. In the late fall, we will also have a Candlelite Bowl event where parents can get away from the rink and enjoy a funfilled night of bowling.

Every year the entire organization will attend an out of town tournament. This trip is geared towards getting all teams, players, and families together for a hockey filled weekend, and most importantly team and family camaraderie.

Each winter is pinnacled with our Dinner Dance, where our parents meet for dinner, dancing and extraordinary raffle prizes. The cost the dinner dance is included in your travel team fees.

Come and Join our Success

I am proud to be associated with the Northern Express organization. Our board directors, coaches, managers, volunteers and the various committees that make up our organization. Their dedication, compassion, and integrity.

Come... join our success!

Jim Wright
President