SYRACUSE STARS ANNOUNCE QUEBEC PEE WEE TOURNAMENT TRYOUT INFORMATION

by Nick Mecca

The Syracuse Stars have been selected to participate in the 61st International Pee Wee Tournament in Quebec to be held February 12-23, 2020. The Stars will hold open tryouts for any 2007 player at Meachem Ice Arena in Syracuse, NY, at 7:00 pm on both November 17 and November 24. The cost to tryout is $20; players need to email or bring a note of permission from their current organization president. The team will be comprised of players from Syracuse and a limited surrounding radius.

Players selected to play on the team will have a once in a lifetime experience, including playing at the state-of-the-art Videotron Centre in downtown Quebec City, as well as in exhibition games. Hundreds of former participants in this event went on to play in the National Hockey League.

“It is an amazing honor for our team to be chosen as a participant in this prestigious event," commented Stars President Don Kirnan. "Every year the kids who participate are afforded the opportunity of a lifetime. The memories of this experience will remain with the kids and their families forever.”

All three coaches for the Syracuse Stars Pee Wee team are alums of the Quebec Pee Wee tournament. Nick Palmieri (2002), Chris Collins (1996, 1997, 1998), and Greg Collins (2000). Palmieri came to the Comets after playing three seasons in the National Hockey League for both the New Jersey Devils and the Minnesota Wild. Currently, Palmieri is the associate head coach of the Utica Jr. Comets NCDC and Premier teams.

Chris and Greg Collins will be returning to the coaching staff as assistant coaches. Chris Collins graduated from Boston College and went on to play professionally in the American Hockey League and overseas for a total of seven seasons. After graduating as the captain at University of New Hampshire, Greg Collins played six years professionally before returning home to Rochester where the Collins brothers are Co-Founders of Evolve Hockey.

The tryout fee will be $20. For questions regarding the tryouts or team, please contact Nicole Kirnan Kelly at nicolekelly@uticajrcomets.org.