November Newsletter, Edition Two
Good Evening Thunder!
This edition might not be quite as pretty as our first one, but we had so much exciting news to share that we couldn’t wait to get it to you!
It’s a lot of information, but we strongly encourage you to read it all — it includes big updates, upcoming deadlines, and whats happening within our association.
Season Kickoff & Registration Growth
We’re thrilled that the hockey season is officially underway! This year, we’re proud to welcome 101 skaters across our Mite through High School programs, along with 40 skaters in Learn to Play/Learn to Skate; a growth of six players from last season.
If you know anyone interested in joining hockey, be sure to share our Association information! A special thanks to Tracy Zeske for being willing to chair the Recruitment Committee – if you’re interested in learning more on how you can help grow our program, please reach out to her. Also, we’d like to share a shout-out to Katie Brown for her extra efforts during the Peshtigo Historical Days Parade!
New Partnership with Aurora Health Care
We’re excited to announce that last night the Board approved an official partnership with Aurora Health Care as our exclusive provider for medical care, sports medicine, and performance training. We anticipate having an athletic trainer on-site for most Bantam and High School home games, and hopefully during both of their home tournaments.
This is an exciting addition to help ensure the health and safety of our players. Stay tuned for more updates as details are finalized.
Locker Room Cleanliness & Assignments
We’ve heard your concerns regarding locker room cleanliness and assignments. We’ve shared this feedback, and the concerns have been taken seriously. We are hopeful to see improvements right away. We’ve also received approval to add signage to denote locker room 6 as the HS girls locker room. Thank you for speaking up — your input helps us improve.
Trophy Case Project
The Trophy Case Project has been reignited! We hope to review a proposal at the December Board Meeting. If all goes well, we’re hopeful construction could begin early next year.
Photography Info
Thank you to Melissa Kowalski Photography for capturing skater pictures and designing our High School banners! Her turn around time was awesome and we appreciate her hard work. Thank you, Heather Miller, for helping coordinate the HS banners! Orders for Mites, Peewees, and Bantams are being distributed now, with all others to follow shortly. We heard your feedback on photo lines and will plan a better schedule next year – thank you for your patience.
We are excited to welcome Memories Studios at all our home tournaments for all the action shots and tournament souvenirs. Be sure to check them out!
Coaching Update
Please join us in welcoming Nick Potenzieri as the new Squirt B Head Coach! Thank you to Nick and all our coaches for their leadership and commitment. Please take a moment to thank your coaches — their efforts make our season possible.
New Association Leadership Team Members
We’re thrilled to welcome several new faces to our leadership team this season:
• Megan Sullivan – Sponsorship Chair
• Megan Schroeder – Volunteer Coordinator
• Maddie Vandenberge – 8U/IP Athletic Director
Tournament Directors:
• Mites – Maddie Vandenberge
• Squirts – Melissa Walker & Tracy Zeske
• Peewees – Kelly Hartwig
• Bantams – Brittany Smith
• High School – Rachel Raygo
Team Parents:
• Mites – Katie Brown (Blue) & Tracey Rhode (White)
• Squirts – Melissa Walker (A) & Tracy Zeske (B)
• Peewees – Kelly Hartwig
• Bantams – Lisa Bohaczek
• High School – Heather Miller
Thank you to everyone for stepping into these roles! If you’re interested in getting involved, please reach out — we always happy to welcome new volunteers!
Upcoming Home Tournaments
• Bantam Tournament: December 5–7
• Mite Madness Tournament: December 12–14
Good luck to all participating skaters! We’re thrilled the Bantams have a full house and we’re working on recruiting the last two teams to fill the Mite tournament too!
A friendly reminder that each team is responsible for running their own home tournament.
Training Opportunities
If you missed the earlier training sessions, please contact
• Bobbi Baty – Concession Stand Training
• Tracy Zeske – Clock & Gamesheet Training
Facility Reminder
Please do not use the Rec Center lobby as a locker room or leave bags in that area. All items should be kept in your assigned locker room or rink space. Please help us take care of the Rec Center.
Apparel & Equipment Updates
Online Store: Our Sideline Store is live — stock up on team gear!
o M&M Youth Hockey Thunder - Marinette, Wisconsin - Sideline Store - BSN Sports
LiveBarn: Use the promo code on our website (under the Resources, Parent’s Information) for 10% off subscriptions.
Jersey & Sock Orders: Next order deadline is December 1, 2025. We’re awaiting the arrival of the first batch any day now.
Pre-tournament Apparel is being offered by Katie Brown. Thank you, Katie, for putting together all of the forms and handling the logistics. If you haven’t received these forms and are interested in ordering, please reach out to your team parent.
Mark Your Calendar - High School Pink Out Game
February 6, 2025 – 7:00 PM at Rec Center Come out, wear pink, and support a great cause! More information will be forthcoming.
Concession Stand
As the season gets underway, please take a moment to review the available opportunities to help in the concession stand. Your time and effort are essential to keeping this part of our program running smoothly — thank you to everyone who has already signed up!
A huge thank you to Bobbi Baty for once again taking the lead in coordinating the concession stand operations. We truly appreciate her dedication and leadership.
We kindly ask that when you are scheduled to work in the concession stand, you avoid bringing young children into the area whenever possible. This helps us maintain a safe, clean, and sanitary environment for everyone. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding!
Volunteer Hours
Friendly reminder to keep an eye on the volunteer opportunities – sign-up on our website under the Resources, For Parents, Volunteer Hours Requirements & Opportunities. Additional information, including specific details on how to sign-up, is on our website. New volunteer opportunities for upcoming games, events and home tournaments for Bantam and Mite will up within the week.
Hours Required by Level:
• Learn to Skate/Learn to Play: No Volunteer Hours Required
• Mite (8U): 10 hours
• Squirt (10U), PeeWee (12U), Bantam (14U), and High School: 24 hours
• Maximum Hours Required per Family: 40 hours
Thank you, Megan Schroeder, for stepping up to take on the Volunteer Coordinator role this season!
Fundraising – Candy Bars and Raffle Tickets
Candy bars and $10 raffle tickets have been distributed. If you’d like to do a little extra, we have additional boxes and tickets available. Please reach out to Sam Wilke with any questions or additional needs. Every little bit helps keep our program strong and affordable for all families.
New Fundraiser Opportunity: The 52 Grand Gun Raffle
We’re excited to share a brand-new opportunity. Our association has been invited by War in the Woods Promotions, Inc., a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit, to take part in this fundraiser.
Here’s the quick rundown:
• Tickets: $100 each (only 1,000 sold — about 200 left!)
• Payout: Our association earns $25 for every ticket sold
• Drawings: Every Monday in 2026 at 8:00 AM
• Location: Kleiman & Wolfe, S.C., Marinette, WI
• Eligibility: Must be 21+ and legally able to purchase/own a firearm
Our goal is to sell 100 tickets, raising $2,500 for Thunder Hockey! If every family sells just one, we’ll hit that mark easily. If you’d like to purchase or help sell tickets, please contact Nikki Schingick. This opportunity is optional, but it’s a great way to support both a local nonprofit and our hockey program.
Dryland Training
We’re excited to share that we’re in the process of finalizing dryland training for our Squirt and Peewee teams! The current plan is to hold dryland sessions on Wednesdays from 5:45–6:15 PM as a trial through December. We’re still working out a few final details with the Rec Center, which we expect to review and approve at the November 12th board meeting. Once everything is confirmed, we’ll share the full details and schedule with families. Thank you for your patience as we work to bring this valuable training opportunity to our players!
Grant & Equipment Updates
We’re proud to announce that we’ve been awarded a $3,000 grant to enhance our training equipment! New items include attack triangles, tennis balls, ringettes, shooter tutors, passing blocks and more. We’re also working on the purchase of Squirt goalie gear from the Grassroots Grant we received earlier this year.
Thank you to Ashley Haile, Equipment Manager, for organizing pre-season fittings and maintaining our equipment so everything is labeled, sized, and ready for the ice. For any equipment requests or assistance, please contact Ashley—she’ll gladly help.
Skate Sharpening
Skate sharpening is available through our association for $5.00/pair. Please connect with your team parent or head coach for assistance in arranging sharpening.
Checking Clinic for Players/Coaches
Our Director of Hockey, Adam, is working on coordinating a Checking Clinic with Dan Jablonic, USA Hockey Central District Coach-in-Chief. This clinic will be an excellent opportunity for our players to learn and reinforce proper checking techniques — emphasizing safety, skill, and confidence on the ice. More details will be shared once a date is confirmed.
Rules & Regulations
As our season gains momentum, we’d like to remind everyone of our Code of Conduct expectations. Let’s work together to maintain a positive, supportive environment for all players, coaches, officials, and families.
Please remember:
• Treat coaches, officials, teammates, and opponents with respect at all times.
• Demonstrate good sportsmanship — win or lose.
• We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for bullying, harassment, alcohol, or substance abuse.
Please remember our 24-Hour Rule: Parents and participants are asked not to approach coaches or team leadership about games, try-out related situations, incidents or concerns until at least 24 hours after the event. This cooling-off period helps ensure calm, constructive conversation and reflects our commitment to respect and proper communication. If you have concerns, allow time for reflection and then reach out appropriately.
Reach out to Mike Maas with any questions or concerns regarding our rules, regulations and policies. Together, we can ensure our association remains a safe and welcoming space for every skater and family.
Compliance Reminder
Please ensure all required paperwork is complete by WAHA’s November 15 deadline.
Check your Crossbar Chat for the recent update from our Adam Walker, Director of Hockey.
A big thank you to Ashley Behrens, our Registrar, for her dedication in managing the registration process and ensuring our association was ready to start the season smoothly.
Scheduling
Thank you to our Scheduler, Joe Denny who has been working behind the scenes to get games, tournaments and schedules ready for the season. He’s currently working closely with the Bantam team to get additional games scheduled — thank you for your patience as we continue to work on this.
Budget and Policy Under Review
At our most recent board meeting, a draft budget and a proposed social media policy were presented for review. Both documents will be available on our website alongside this month’s meeting minutes for members to read in the coming days. The Board will consider approval of both items at our next board meeting. If you have any comments, feedback, or considerations you’d like the Board to consider, please reach out — your input is valued and appreciated as we work to keep our program transparent and inclusive.
Upcoming Board Meetings & Events
All upcoming board meeting dates and events are listed on our website with the most current dates, times, and details. We encourage all families to stay connected — attend a meeting, volunteer at an event, or simply follow along to see what’s ahead.
For a full list of contacts, please visit our website’s “About Us” section, where you’ll find names and information for board members, directors, and association leaders.
Thank You
From players and coaches to volunteers and families — your commitment makes it all possible. Together, we make Thunder Hockey what it is — thank you for being part of the team!
We welcome the opportunity to highlight successes and share important association information in future newsletters. If you have something you’d like included, please contact Nikki Schingick or email mmthundermarketing@gmail.com
Here’s to another fantastic season on and off the ice!