DYER, Ind. – Their name and logo may be associated more with Las Vegas but the Chi-Town Shooters of the newly formed All-American Hockey Association (AAHA) are rolling the dice hoping to win over the hockey fans of northern Indiana and southern Illinois. The Shooters, whose name is derived from the local area’s booming 
gambling industry, begin play in the four-team single-A level league on November 14th when they travel downstate to take on the rival Evansville IceMen. Originally, the team was named the South Shore Shooters based on Dyer’s location on the southern end of Lake Michigan south of Chicago. Team management thought about it and decided to change the name to Chi-Town to try to capitalize on the team’s proximity to the Windy City. “We wanted to capitalize on the growth in popularity of the sport in the Chicago area,” General Manager Richard Greene said. “We wanted to reach out and market ourselves beyond northwest Indiana.” The first big gamble the ownership took was designing a logo to reflect the casino industry. They came up with a pair of dice in the center and so far it has paid dividends as far as recognition in the community. “We have reached out to the corporate and non-corporate sectors trying to allow as many people as possible to know we are here for them,” Head Coach Darren Seid said. “Sometimes we have gone out to different businesses and people recognize us (when we walk in).” One of the goals of the new league is for teams to become a part of the communities in which they play. Chi-Town has done just that by reaching out to the Midwest Maniax of the Midwest Youth Hockey Association. The goal of the partnership is to expand youth hockey participation. “We are hoping that kids will know there is an opportunity to develop their skills at a young age,” Seid said. “We would love for them to progress from youth hockey to pro hockey and do it on a local level.” Playing out of the Midwest Training and Ice Center in Dyer, the Shooters have a unique situation in that they have an exercise facility within the building, allowing the players to train both on and off the ice without having to travel. “Players see that we have our facilities on-site. And it provides more appeal to come play for us,“ Greene said. “Players have told us they are impressed with what we have done.“ The team completed a partnership agreement with Catalyst, an organization that specializes in athletic training. The deal is a win-win situation for both sides. “The fact that the Shooters chose us gives us a higher profile,” Catalyst Managing Director Tony Czapla said. “We want the Shooters to be faster, better conditioned players.” Despite the recent economic struggles across the country, Shooters management believes that the team can be successful in the Dyer marketplace. “We know that the game of hockey is growing in the area. Youth participation has increased which shows us there is a great interest in hockey here,” Seid said. “We have made our product an affordable entertainment option with our most expensive seats being $10. Not everyone can afford to go out to Chicago so we’re giving hockey fans a more cost-friendly option.” The Shooters’ first home game is set for November 16 against Detroit. For more information, visit the Shooters’ web site at www.shootersice.com . Contact the author at scott.reese@prohockeynews.com
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