Islanders News 2008-2009 August 2008 : Gary Coomes Islanders General Manager said “I watched Tom very closely last year when he first came to Peterborough. He was outstanding at Under 18 level and when he came to Peterborough in a Chelmsford Under 18 shirt last term he had a stand out game. I was thinking back then that maybe the Islanders had missed out on a big talent and this opinion was further enforced when I saw Tom play for the EPL Chieftans against the Phantoms at the back end of last year. He did not look out of place at that level. We did not have much time to look at him this term but I am happy that Coach Hammill decided to sign Tom after watching him train only a couple of times. He is a big lad with a great desire to succeed and I for one am very happy to have his signature this term.” Davis will wear the number 8 shirt this season. GB Womens Gold Medalist KELLY HERRING returns to the Peterborough Islanders Roster for the 2008/2009 season. Coaches player of the year for 2007/2008 will wear her usual number 34 this season and will once more be fighting with JAMES MOORE for the starting spot. James had a great season last year with huge save percentages going in to the play offs. Moorsey will wear the number 1 shirt but both of these keepers need to be aware of a rising star. 16 Year old England keeper RYAN BAINBOROUGH will be pushing both Kelly and James for a place this year after an impressive trial. Islanders tough guy STU COLEMAN is also confirmed for season 2009/2009. He will wear his number 16 shirt and will as ever bring his own style to the team. Stu knows his job and will protect our more skilful guys as and when required. However Stu has more to his game than just being an Enforcer and has an excellent penalty kill so if he stays healthy I am sure he will see plenty of the ice. Islanders Award Winners Return for 08-09 Season James Pentecost shared the Coaches Award with Tom Perkins last season and was also the Islanders Most Improved Player. David Micheli was the Islanders Forward of the Year in 2007/2008 and the top points scorer for that season. Jon Brammall ‘s hard work and contribution to the team was recognised with a Player Dedication Award in the 2007/2008 season Islanders General Manager Gary Coomes commented on the signings “James has good pace and will be challenging for place among our more experienced forwards. Coach Hammill is expecting big things from James this season”. “David was missing for most of last season due to serious injury. We are looking forward to having him back on the forwards bench, especially with his outstanding skill in finding the back of the net” “Jon is an Islanders stalwart who brings speed and heart to the penalty kill. Jon has been with the Islanders for 3 years and we are pleased to welcome back a player with his commitment to learn the game". James will wear the number 89 shirt this season. David will wear the number 39 shirt this season. Jon will wear the number 7 shirt this season. Islanders sign Slovakian powerhouse Ivan will wear the number 2 shirt this season STEVEN MAILE is welcomed back to the team where his hard skating style fitted in perfectly after his move from the Phantoms. Maile was a major part of our first line last year and will be pushing hard for that slot again. Steve will wear the number 28 this year. He will be joined by former Phantoms star JAMES ELLWOOD who is returning to the game after a spell away. James was a standout player in the EPL for the Phantoms and will be a top player in this league. He now joins his former Phantoms line mates at the Islanders. James was a third line player with Maile and Jason Buckman. Ellwood will wear number 14 this term. JASON BUCKMAN signs once more and will be one of the top points scorers in this league. Last year he scored a bundle of goals before Christmas and had he continued in that sort of form would have won the scoring race for the league. He is a fast skating player with bags of experience and will wear his familiar number 19 shirt this season. Number 93 ROSS MACKINTOSH is also returning for another year. Ross was once more one of the top points scorers last year and his experience and enthusiasm is boundless. Ross has been working hard in pre season and will be keen to make sure he is on one of the top lines to add to his already impressive points tally for the Islanders. CRAIG LAZENBY joins from Phantoms under 18’s this term. Craig is an enthusiastic player that checks hard and has an eye for goal. He has joined to develop his game and hopefully push for a starting line as he does develop. Also training up with the Islanders is 15 year old VINNY FERRARA will train with the Isles with a hope to pushing for a spot when he is 16! 2006/2007 British Player of the year Stu Dane has also agreed to return to the team. That season was a stand out year for Stu as he became one of the best penalty killers in the league. He did not quite reach those heights in 2007/2008 but is keen to prove that he can do that job over again. He is working hard off ice so will hopefully be killing those penalties for fun real soon. Stu will wear number 98. Fast skating D man Keiren De’ath will return with his number 3 shirt keen to prove that he still has the potential to play in a higher league. Keiren’s never say die attitude makes him one of the most tenacious defencemen in the league. July 2008 : Gary Coomes, Islanders General Manager said “I have been watching Adrian for a couple of years and was keen to get him to the trials this year. He works his butt off and lives for hockey but he still had to put in the work to get Hammill’s attention at the trials. If Adrian continues his development he has the potential to do whatever he wants to do in Hockey and the Islanders program will help him achieve that goal” Adrian will wear the number 10 shirt this season. Also signing fresh from the Under 18s is Leon Groom. “Groomer” has always wanted to be an Islander from an early age and after this years trials Coach Hammill saw enough to give the boy his dream and offered him a slot on Islanders roster for this year. Leon will probably start down the lines but if he works hard has the talent to move up the lines. Leon will wear number 46 this season. Also joining from the Under 18s is Summer League Hot- Shot, Ross Horsley. Ross has played for the Islanders a couple of times last season but his last year in Under 18’s has seen him develop well and he will now be offered a full time spot on the team. An impressive trial game convinced Coach Hammill that Ross has all that is needed to go all the way in senior hockey. Coomes commented “Leon has always been a hockey kid. I have always had a soft spot for him as he grew up with my son Tim. I was hoping he would make it, but like Adrian he had to convince the coach that he was up to the job. The work starts now for Leon and I hope he grasps this opportunity with both hands.” “Ross was a great junior. Now we need him to make that step up to become a great senior. He has all the talent in the world and if he can combine that with a good work ethic I am sure we will have an exceptional player at this level.” “I would like to welcome Ross, Leon and Adrian to the Islanders team and wish them the best of luck in the 2008/2009 season.” Islanders entertain Haringey on 27th July at Planet Ice, 6-45p.m. face off in a game that will see all these youngsters ice. The game is to celebrate the Islanders Play-off South win last year and Haringey will present the Islanders with a trophy to commemorate that success. “The Greyhounds” were winners last year and Islanders, should they not win it this year will be expected to carry on the tradition by handing it on to the 2008/2009 winners. Islanders ‘steal’ Milton Keynes thunder Gary Coomes, General Manager of the Islanders commented on the signing, “I have watched Mike play against Peterborough teams over many years and it will be a refreshing change to have him in our corner. Mike is a top quality D man and will add to depth and experience to our defensive game” Mike commented “I am very excited at the prospect of being part of the Peterborough Islanders Ice Hockey Club in what will be a very exciting new-look league set up this season. The league is going to be very tough, and I am looking forward to the challenge of helping the team to build on the successes that they gained last season” “When Jesse contacted me regarding the possibility of linking up with him again, I didn’t need too much persuasion to make the change. I have been player coach for the MK Thunder for the last 4/5 seasons, and felt that it was time for both me and the club to make a change and have a new challenge” “Peterborough has a very good foundation to have a high quality team for years to come, and I would like to be part of helping to build and maintain that team. I think very highly of Jesse as a player, a coach and as a person. He commands respect, and I am looking forward to training and playing alongside a squad of players that will give 100% effort at both training sessions and games” “I am very impressed with the way that the club is run from behind the scenes and this, along with the opportunity to play under Jesse and alongside some very good players, made my decision much easier” Mike will wear the Number 4 shirt this season. Peterborough Legend returns to play for the Islanders Islanders General Manager Gary Coomes said of the signing, “We nearly got Shaun last year and we are very pleased to get him on board this year. He is an outstanding player who has played at a very high level for a very long time. He has a knack of scoring goals and will only add to our team. It is good that we can attract this type of player to our team and our younger players will learn a great deal from Shaun” Shaun will wear number 40 this year. Fans favourite, Tom Perkins has also signed for the 2008/2009 season. Coomes says of Tom, “Tom was a huge part of our first line last year and is keen to put his injury nightmare behind him. He is a high impact player in this league and although he has not put up big numbers yet, his work ethic is second is to none and those numbers will come in a big way real soon” “Tom is a popular member of the team and it is great we have him for another season in his development”. Perkins says “I am happy to be back for the Islanders for another term. It was never a hard choice to make as Coach Hammill gave me a huge chance last year and I want to repay him for that opportunity. I am still only 18 and have already had a season on the first line at ENL level and that can only be good for my development.” Tom will wear the number 5 shirt this season. We are also pleased to announce the return to the coaching staff of Elwyn Dawkins. Elwyn joined the Islanders last December to help out when Coach Hammill was suspended and was part of the coaching squad which took the team to its most successful year. Coomes said “Elwyn was a great help to me last year and an even bigger help to the team. His enthusiasm for the sport is boundless and that rubs off on players and staff alike”. “Elwyn is an exceptional defensive coach and I am sure this is an area that Coach Hammill will exploit.” June 2008 : “This is fantastic news” commented General Manager, Gary Coomes “ Coach Hammill has been instrumental in the Islanders successes over the last two seasons and both our players and supporters know that Jesse drives the team forward using skill, experience, his own personal commitment and enthusiasm” When asked why he had decided to take on the Islanders for another year, Coach Hammill said “I feel that we still have some unfinished business to complete in the ENIHL. I want to continue the program we started two seasons ago. We are currently planning a program of development for our current squad players together with the addition of some exciting new names “ A number of Player announcements for next season are expected over the next few days, especially now that Coach Hammill has confirmed that he is stepping up to the plate for 2008/2009. NEW SPONSORS NEWS: The Peterborough Islanders are busy attracting sponsors through the off season and are very pleased to announce that they have signed a great deal with Harrow Sports. Harrow are trying to improve their profile in the UK and have agreed to be our glove sponsor for the 2008/2009 season. They will be supplying the team with Harrow Torch Twill gloves with the Islanders Logo on the thumb. In return the Islanders will be proudly displaying the Harrow Sports logo on the all new home and away kit. “The deal is worth much more than we asked for” commented Gary Coomes, Islanders General Manager, “ but goes to show that the Peterborough Islanders are attracting bigger companies to the table after their success of 2007/2008” He went on to thank Rose Keirnan of Harrow Sports for her help in setting up the deal which will see Harrow Sports equipment sold in the Peterborough Hockey Shop, who are also returning as a major sponsor for the Islanders this year. For details of the products available visit www.harrowsports.com and www.iceisus.co.uk OFF ICE CREW NEWS: Islanders off-ice recruitment is already well under way. Ian De’ath has agreed to become Team Manager for the season 2008/2009. Coomes commented on Ian’s appointment. “Ian was a huge help to me as assistant manager last season and with the structure of the club changing slightly, I needed the right person to manage the team. Ian has a wealth of experience at junior level that he brought to the senior team last year and is one of those guys with boundless enthusiasm. That is why he will succeed in anything he is asked to do.” Jane Russell will also return as Match Night Co-ordinator for a second term in office. Jane will be tasked with getting as many people as possible to games and to raise the profile of hockey in Peterborough for the benefit of all teams. Kirsty McDonald has also agreed to join the off ice team this term in a slightly different role. She will become Communications Manager tasked with making sure that all the press releases go to the right people at the right time. Kirsty is best known for her great efforts as Announcer on Match nights and this is a job that she will also be assisting in this year. She will however have the help of Keith who joins the Islanders on a full time basis. Keith did the job last year when Kirsty was away with Under 18 duties and I am sure they will make a great team together as they build the match night experience at Planet Ice. 2008/2009 SQUAD TRIALS: Pre-season begins seriously for the Islanders on 28th June when trials have been arranged to aid the selection process for the coming season. Players need to be on the ice at 5-30p.m. Anyone interested in trying out for next years team must attend and there will be a nominal cost of £10 per player. A number of players have already committed to next season and several more with good experience are expressing an interest in our club, which bodes very well for the season. May 2008 : GIGER MEDIA have been with the Islanders for 3 ½ years and have help to take the team from 9th position with no silverware, right up through to Group A Champions, Southern Conference Champions, and a place in all the ENIHL finals this season. Tony Lee from GIGER MEDIA said "I can assure you it was a difficult decision to make as I really did enjoy the highs and lows (admittedly far more highs than lows) of doing what we do behind the scenes, along with Gary, for the Islanders, and meeting everyone from players to fans – some becoming very good friends. However, with my own company evolving and becoming very busy indeed, my growing family commitments, and the expanding team both on and off the ice requiring more time and resources, it is simply a decision that had to be made. " "I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone both past and present for allowing us to become part of the team, and for taking onboard our ideas and suggestions which we hope made a difference to the team and the fan base. The Islanders now have a great 'brand' and a more established presence both in Peterborough and the ENIHL. Long may this continue." Tony will still be supporting the Islanders in the future and will be at the games, simply swapping his officials jacket for a fan shirt. ISLANDER GETS USA CONTRACT: Jamie Holland of the Peterborough Islanders has had a break through year and has been rewarded with a contract to play for the Tulsa Rampage in the USA at Junior A level. Tulsa are coached by former Chieftains Player Chad MacLeod and Jamie is looking forward to the new season to show the USA what he can do. Islanders are sad to be losing a player of Jamie's undoubted talent but feel that he will get a great chance to progress his hockey career in the USA and will hopefully return to us a better player than he already is. Jamie finished this season with great figures for a guy of his age and was called up to Phantoms by Coach David. He has been our stand out player in the latter part of the season and will be missed by the team next term. The Islanders would like to thank Jamie for his help and effort this year and wish him the very best of luck in his hockey and life. April 2008 : March 2008 : We have been told that tickets for the finals can be purchased by phone on the following number: 02476 630 693 option 0. Feb 2008 :
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