As we get closer to the start of the 23-24 season, we are running a 9 part Season Preview series to highlight the 9 Hampton Roads Whalers Travel Teams and the upcoming 2023-2024 hockey season. This week, we continue with part 5 of the series and the U12 Major team.
The U12 Major team will be coached by Kody Rodriguez for the 2023-2024 season. Coach Rodriguez, a Rancho Cucamonga, CA native, embarks on his 7th season behind the bench for the Whalers. His first 4 seasons were with the Junior Program, where he helped lead the Whalers to 3 National Championships as an assistant coach, twice in 2017-18 as the Whalers Elite and Premier teams pulled off dual National Championships, and again in 2018-2019 when the Premier team went back to back, winning their 3rd National title in 4 years.
The last two seasons he has worked with the youth travel program and he has continued to move up with the same core players progressing from Squirts to Peewee.
Prior to coaching, coach Rodriguez spent 4 years playing junior hockey, including his final season in the green and blue when he posted 19 points on 10 goals and 9 assists, including 81 penalty minutes in 47 games played for the Whalers.
The Whalers U12 Major team will play at the Upper A level in the CBHL and has scheduled multiple tournaments including Silver Sticks and CamAm in Lake Placid, NY.
We have a strong returning core group of players in Charlotte Arnold, Brady Barrett, Davis Coose, Parker Elliott, Cole Freestrom, Easton Frost, Clint Mendelson, Jack Morgan, Sedona Palmer, Jake Rahne, Bryson Shaffer, Landon Snowdeal, Dennis Stanishevskiy and Noah Stoltz.
We are excited to welcome to the team returning Whalers Jesse LaRocca and Grant Boyd. New to the Whaler Program is goalie Lilli Smith.
When asked about the team, Coach Kody said, “I’m really looking forward to this upcoming year. With the core group coming back and the new additions I’m really excited to see where this group goes. The sky is the limit for these kids. Our main focus this year is to mold these athletes into incredible humans and teammates on and off the ice, in school, and at home. It’s one thing to have good players on a team but it’s really special to have a group that works together to push each other each and every day we are together. So far, I have seen that come out with not only all the kids but the families as well! I love what I am seeing with off ice workouts and team functions. I’m really excited to build off of our CCM placement tournament and can’t wait for us to work together on a weekly basis and push these athletes to the next level! WE ARE WHALERS!”
The 12U majors made a strong showing at the CCM Showcase at the Prince William Ice Center, finishing second and recording wins over the Virginia Vipers and Piedmont Predators with their only set back coming at the hands of the tournament champion Potomac Patriots.
“The CCM Showcase was a great opportunity for our team to start building something special this season. Our players showed Commitment, Perseverance, and Excellence which we are looking to build upon after a strong showing at the Showcase,” according to Assistant Head Coach, Dalton Stoltz.
The dedication to getting better has really shown in this 2023/24 team. A majority have been hitting the ice before school at the OTM Breakfast Club throughout the months of May and June. As well as taking part in player organized off ice conditioning sessions. I think this dedication to the work and the team will really show in the upcoming hockey season.
We show Commitment, We show Perseverance, We show Excellence. We Are Whalers!
