USA International Hockey Cup at National Sports Center named “Best Amateur Sports Event Series” by SportsTravel Magazine
NEWS RELEASE:
For immediate release, October 27, 2006
CONTACTS:
Barclay Kruse, Media Director
National Sports Center
763.785.5634
Jean Maybrey, Director
USA International Hockey Cup
763.792.7351
Amanda Daninger
amanda@visitminneapolisnorth.com
763.566.7722
Blaine, Minn. (October 27, 2006) — The USA International Hockey Cup, at the Schwan Super Rink at the National Sports Center, has been awarded the “Best Sports Event Series” in the world in the Amateur Sports category by SportsTravel Magazine. The award was presented at the TEAMS 2006 Conference & Expo, October 13, 2006, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jean Maybrey, USA International Hockey Cup director and a National Sports Center staff member, was in Las Vegas to accept the award in person.
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| l to r:, Amanda Daninger, Visit Minneapolis North Director of Sports; Jean Maybrey, USA International Hockey Cup Director; Jenny Heger, Visit Minneapolis North Sports Sales Manager with the SportsTravel Magazine award for Best Sports Event Series. |
The USA International Hockey Cup Tournament Series is North America’s ultimate summer youth hockey experience, attracting teams from all corners of the nation, Canada and the world. Since its creation in 1995, the tournament his hosted over 2,000 teams from nine countries and 24 states. In 2006, 202 boys and girls teams from 8 to 19 years old played in the tournament, which was held on several weekends from June 22 through August 13.
“Events such as this one are a prime example of the achievement of excellence in the organization and management of sporting events,” said Timothy Schneider, publisher of SportsTravel magazine, which organizes the TEAMS Conference and Expo. “SportsTravel readers are the leaders of the sports event industry and they really know what it takes to execute a high-quality event,” said Schneider. “The SportsTravel Awards program is an opportunity for them to honor their peers for a job well done.”
The USA International Hockey Cup was originally nominated for the award by Visit Minneapolis North. The winner was then selected from a group of six finalists by a nationwide internet vote of Sports Travel readers. The magazine annually presents awards to the best single-sport, multi-sport, and series or circuit events, with separate categories for amateur, collegiate, and professional events.
“This is great honor, and a tremendous credit to the dedicated staff who have helped to build the USA International Hockey Cup into what we believe is the best summer youth hockey tournament in North America ,” said Maybrey.
The 602-acre National Sports Center is the largest amateur sports facility in the world. With 3.3 million visitors annually, it is Minnesota’s most-visited sports facility. The NSC campus features 52 soccer fields, the Schwan Super Rink with eight sheets of ice in a single facility, the National Youth Golf Center, and the Schwan Center, a 15,000 square foot state-of-the-art event and conference center.
Visit Minneapolis North is the convention and visitors’ bureau representing 11 cities in the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities: Anoka, Arden Hills, Blaine, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Coon Rapids, Fridley, Ham Lake, Maple Grove, Mounds View, and Shoreview.
Sports Travel Magazine is a monthly magazine that services the sports-related travel and event industry. It is widely read by sports event directors, national governing bodies, sponsors, and sports media.
Also nominated in the Best Amateur Sports Event Series category were the Dizzy Dean World Series in Southaven, Miss., a youth baseball tournament; Elite Racing Marathon Series, a series of marathons and half marathons that includes such prestigious events as the Rock n Roll Marathon in San Diego; JamFest Cheer & Dance Series, a national series of cheerleading competitions; AAU Junior Beach Volleyball Tour, an eight-event series of tournaments in California, Virginia, Florida and Puerto Rico; and the Danskin Women's Triathlon Series, an national eight-race summer series of women’s triathlons.
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