The USA Central Hockey League ( USACHL ) was a junior ice hockey league based in Texas . The league was not sanctioned by any outside hockey governing body, but was structured as a "free-to-play" junior league similar to USA Hockey 's Tier I and Tier II as opposed to the "pay-to-play" Tier III leagues .
13-448: The league announced its formation in March 2018, founded by former El Paso Buzzards owner Bill Davidson and former Western Professional Hockey League founder Rick Kozuback. The league named former Salmon Arm Silverbacks general manager Troy Mick as its first president. The USACHL announced it was planning a sixty-game regular season schedule that lasts from October until March. The league
26-631: A disgruntled or unpaid employee had taken over the sites and the league was working on reclaiming them. By November 17, the social media sites had still not been reclaimed and were eventually renamed, with the league creating new Twitter accounts for the USACHL and for the affected teams. During the November 23 game of the Bucks at the Wichita Falls Force, the team issued handouts to the attendees continuing to blame
39-590: The Western Professional Hockey League and Central Hockey League . They played their home games at El Paso County Coliseum . The team was founded by Jim Burlew, Dave MacPherson and John Kettle, who brought in Rich Szturm to run the ice operations and start a youth hockey program for the city by converting the on-site Equestrian Centre at the Coliseum to a full-time NHL-sized rink. The team was one of
52-636: The junior hockey team, the El Paso Rhinos , joined the Western States Hockey League as an expansion team in 2006. This American ice hockey team-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about a sports team in Texas is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . 1996%E2%80%9397 WPHL season The 1996–97 Western Professional Hockey League season
65-581: The Laredo Bucks announced their kids were leaving the team. On December 7, the league cancelled the remainder of the season. The league management later issued a press release claiming "business interference" as the reason for the league's suspension and that the league would return in the 2019–20 season, which did not happen. El Paso Buzzards The El Paso Buzzards were a professional ice hockey team in El Paso, Texas , United States, and were members of
78-565: The WPHL was bought by the Central Hockey League in 2001. During the team's final season, the players were locked out of its home arena after owner Bill Davidson failed to pay rent. By March 2003, the team declared bankruptcy after losing its radio deal and missing payroll causing the front office to resign. Davidson would also be charged with stealing 14 pairs of players' skates at the end of the season. Hockey would not return to El Paso until
91-597: The Wichita Falls Force through a naming contest. Wichita Falls had gone without a hockey team for one season after the North American Hockey League 's Wichita Falls Wildcats ceased operations in 2017. However, with the announced October season start date approaching, the league announced at the end of August a fourth and final 2018–19 team called the Texas Lawmen to be based in McAllen, Texas . The league stated it
104-652: The Wichita Falls home game against the Killer Bees was cancelled citing bus scheduling issues. However, the city of Wichita Falls announced they had actually locked out the Force from the arena due to late payments and the December 1 and 2 games were also cancelled. On December 1, the Wichita Falls billet families for the players announced the rest of the players were leaving and the Force had folded. On December 3, parents of players for
117-513: The league. The sale of the Frio Grande Valley Ice Center fell through, forcing the team to use the nearby Killer Bees home venue for scheduled home games. The Lawmen's first few games also did not allow spectators in the arena as there was not enough time for the arena to advertise the game in order to sell tickets. On November 14, 2018, all league operated social media sites were shut down or deleted. The league stated they believed
130-547: The original members of the Western Professional Hockey League starting in 1996, winning the league's first two championships in the 1996–97 and 1997–98 seasons . Those teams were coached by Todd Brost , a former member of Canada's Olympic hockey team. In 2000, the team was sold to West Texas Hockey Management Inc., headed by Bill Davidson. In 2003, the Buzzards were the first former WPHL team to fold after
143-458: The unpaid employee for taking the social media sites, but stated the league is continuing operations regardless. By the November 23 game between the Killer Bees and Lawmen, the teams played a three-on-three showcase due to lack of players. The following week on November 29, the Lawmen were down to only three players, the second coaching staff all resigned, and the team ceased operations. On November 30,
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#1732863114129156-596: Was initially planned to consist of six teams, targeting cities associated with the defunct Central Hockey League (CHL), for its inaugural 2018–19 season featuring players under twenty-years-old. The first two teams were announced in Laredo and Hidalgo, Texas , both teams sharing branding with former CHL teams, the Laredo Bucks and Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees . The third announced was in Wichita Falls, Texas , and were named
169-526: Was purchasing the Frio Grande Valley Ice Center as the Lawmen's home arena and would renovate the building. The league played its first game on October 26, 2018, when the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees defeated the Laredo Bucks. After the opening week, several games were postponed due to rink availability or arena issues. Within the first month of play, USACHL president Troy Mick, along with the original four original head coaches all departed from
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