Fourteen high school ice hockey teams from across the Midwest will arrive in Bloomington-Normal this week for the National Junior Prospects Bloomington Showcase. The event will take place at Grossinger Motors Arena and Bloomington Ice Center for the 1st time on December 5-8, 2019.
The National Junior Prospects is a showcase tournament series created to develop and promote hockey players who are committed to enhancing their skills in preparation for the next level of hockey. National Junior Prospects showcases these players on their registered teams at showcase events across the United States, now including a stop in Bloomington-Normal.
“I want to thank the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the community for welcoming us to your area. We have had terrific cooperation with the staffs at Grossinger Motors Arena, Bloomington Ice Center, and Bloomington Youth Hockey club, and we’re excited for the opportunity to host our event and teams in Bloomington-Normal,” says Bob Black, Executive Director for National Juniors Prospects.
On Thursday, December 5, the event begins with a 16U match-up at 7:20pm, followed by additional games at 9:00pm and 9:10pm in the arena and ice center. Action continues on Friday from 8:30am-9:30pm, Saturday 7:00am-9:30pm, and Sunday 7:00am-6:20pm. Travel teams at the U16 and U18 level will compete in four games each for a total of 34 games in both facilities. Teams will be represented from the following states: Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois. Additional information and a full game schedule can be found at www.nationaljuniorprospects.com.
“We are so excited to host the National Junior Prospects Hockey Showcase this weekend at Grossinger Motors Arena. These young hockey players will have a chance to perform in front of college and pro scouts. With over 300 kids competing, we expect hundreds of families from as far away as Missouri, Michigan and Indiana in town over the next three days,” says Lynn Cannon, Executive Director of Grossinger Motors Arena. This event is free and open to the public. Spectators should enter through the VIP entrance off of Roosevelt Avenue near the Bloomington Ice Center entrance. Parking in the arena garage is $10 per day.
“Having discussed opportunities with National Junior Prospects for the last several years, we’re fortunate that they had an opening in their schedule and we were able to fill that need,” says Matt Hawkins, Director of Sports and Market Development for the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We look forward to having NJP and their staff and teams in BN, and will do our best to bring them back to our community year after year.” The estimated direct economic impact of hosting the 2019 National Junior Prospects Bloomington Showcase in Bloomington-Normal is $222,000.
For more information regarding the event, please contact Bob Black at National Junior Prospects (724-272-3206) or Matt Hawkins at the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (309-665-0033).
