The Howard Huskies continued their deliveries to local first responders today with a complimentary dropoff to Howard County Fire & Rescue Station # 10 at Rivers Park.  This is part of the Huskies partnership effort with Ledo Pizza in Clarksville.  Thanks for all you do !

Showing their continuing support for our local first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Howard Huskies in partnership with Ledo Pizza of Clarksville, MD delivered pizza and wings today to the Scaggsville Fire Station in Maple Lawn.   The staff at the firehouse were thrilled !  Big thumbs up for all you are doing for our communities !

The Huskies are pleased to announce  Shawn Grant as our new Hockey Director.  Coach Shawn Grant has worked the past three seasons as a Head Coach for Team Maryland as well as teaching lessons through Wolfe Hockey Development.  Prior to that, Coach Grant worked as Volunteer Assistant Coach for Clarkson University men’s team for 5 seasons and 2 seasons with Clarkson’s women’s team (3-time NCAA Champions).  Coach Grant’s additional collegiate coaching experience include 1 season as the Assistant Men’s Hockey Coach at Neumann College, 1 season as the Assistant Women’s Hockey Coach at SUNY Potsdam, and 2 seasons as the Assistant Men’s Hockey Coach at SUNY Potsdam.  Coach Grant also coached youth hockey in his hometown of Potsdam, NY for 7 years, which included helping lead the Potsdam Icestorm U16 girls’ team to back-to-back State Championships (2013 & 2014) and finished 2nd at USA Nationals in 2013 and 3rd at the USA Nationals in 2014.  
Coach Grant left Potsdam, NY his senior year of high school and attended Northwood School (Lake Placid, NY) for 2 years.  During his post-graduate year, he was voted by coaches and players as an Assistant Captain and was voted as MVP of the team, and selected to participate in the Hockey Night in Boston All-Scholastic Tournament.  During his postgraduate year, Grant also travelled and played Jr. B for the Char-Lan Rebels (Williamstown, ON).  Following that season, Coach Grant played Junior A for the Cornwall Colts (Cornwall, ON), leading the league in save percentage (.910) and the second lowest goals against average (3.05).  Coach Grant was recruited, and lived his lifelong dream, to play NCAA Division 1 hockey, in his hometown, for Clarkson University.   During the 1998-1999 season, Grant set the school record for most wins by a Freshman goaltender (25), won the ECAC regular season championship, and posted his career high of 46 saves in the team’s 3-2 win over arch rival St. Lawrence University in the ECAC Championship game, in front of 8,469 fans in Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, NY.  It was the second largest crowd for a hockey game in the arena, trailing the 1980 Olympic game between USA and Russia.  During his freshman season, Grant was voted by teammates and coaches as Clarkson’s Rookie-of-the-Year and was named to the ECAC All-Rookie Team.  During his Junior season, doctors recommended that he stop playing hockey due to severe knee injuries.  Coach Grant finished his collegiate hockey career with a record of 37-20-5, .894 save percentage, 2.89 goals against average, and 2 shutouts.
Coach Grant graduated from Clarkson University in 2002 with B.S. in Management Information Systems and a minor in Telecommunications.  He currently lives in Rockville, MD with his dog, Dudley.

During this segment I will discuss the importance of playing multiple sports as a youth and how to decide which level best helps your personal development.  Growing up, I was a multi-sport athlete having played baseball, soccer, football, lacrosse, golf, and, of course, hockey!  Every sport helped improve my skills as a hockey player, and fortunately provided me the opportunity to play Division I college hockey at Clarkson University.  That being said, growing up in Northern NY, we didn’t have AAA hockey in my area, so until I was 17, I played Tier II “B”, which is now Tier II “A”.  Even though we weren’t AAA, and the only players were from my small town of Potsdam, we still produced college hockey players, and some that played professionally, including up to the NHL.

Having previously coached hockey at the Division I collegiate level and knowing many coaches from other sports too, I’ve heard countless times the benefits of playing multiple sports growing up.  There are many pros on a personal level as well.  It helps reduce injuries that occur due to over use and over straining certain muscles.  It also provides different environments for youths to grow form experiences and having different teammates.  Many skills can be enhanced and translated into success when they are playing hockey.  It allows players to understand the importance of being a team player and finding similarities that make them successful at each sport.

I’ve coached at many levels of youth hockey and watched countless hours of games and practices.  I can’t say enough how important it is to be on the correct level for the team you choose to play for.  Every one’s goal should be to one day play in the NHL or at least at the NCAA level.  The reality is, not everyone will be fortunate to achieve those goals.  That’s why I can’t emphasize enough how important SKILL DEVELOPMENT is growing up.  If you want to getter better personally, then it shouldn’t matter what level you are playing on, as long as you are constantly improving your skill and hockey sense.  There are many factors to consider when choosing a team.  The ones that I feel are most important are who the coach of the team is, how much time will the team have for practice, financial considerations, travel, amount of playing time they could earn, and ability to be a strong contribution to the team.  Having coached for Team Maryland AAA, and seeing many AAA games.  I saw many times that there would be players that wanted the notoriety of saying they played for a AAA team, when in all actuality, playing AA would have been better suited for them.  It would have allowed some players the chances to gain confidence and have more opportunities to improve their skills.

“You can practice shooting eight hours a day, but if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way.  Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise.”  Michael Jordan

The Howard County Youth Hockey Club (HCYHC), also known as the Howard Huskies, is a not for profit hockey club started in 1971. At that time, there were 45 players.   In the 2018 - 2019 season, we had well over 400 boys and girls playing.

The Huskies provide both recreational (CCHL) and tier-II travel (CBHL & EJEPL) hockey ensuring there is a team for every player’s skill and commitment.  

We also host the largest SILVER STICK tournament in the United States every Thanksgiving weekend with over 100 teams.

Our Club’s emphasis is on sportsmanship, teamwork, and character; three themes you will hear woven throughout your experience.

Make sure you follow the Huskies on the social media accounts below for all of the club updates !

Facebook - Howard Huskies
Twitter - @hocohuskies
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