If you are inquiring about playing for the Sioux Lookout Flyers and/or if you’re telling someone about the Flyers organization, this site is for you. You will find information about the Flyers program, educational opportunities and the benefits of living in the Sioux Lookout area.

Sioux Lookout's Ryan Parent, Vancouver Canucks and the Los Angeles King Mike Richards played for Sioux Lookout Minor Hockey AAA program. Sioux Lookout is a hub for hockey in North Western Ontario.  Jimmy Roy former Manitoba Moose graduated out of Sioux Lookout Minor Hockey System. He was Yannick Dupre Memorial Award winner in 02/03 as AHL player who best represents the spirit of Yanick Dupre with his involvement in the community. Matt Miller, another Sioux Lookout Hockey graduates plays for the Mississippi River Kings in the US and various others have played in various levels of Hockey, NHL, Major Junior, AHL, Pro in Germany, Semi Pro in US. A successful Senior AA Hockey program preceded the Flyers Junior A program. Sioux Lookout is a hub of hockey in North Western Ontario.

The hockey program is intentionally put together to develop players interested in pursuing US College, Canadian University, Major Junior, or professional levels.  

Sioux Flyers Alumni:
2008/09  Jeffrey Bienvenue    >   Neumann University   "Jeffrey Bienvenue signed with Neumann University"
 
2009/10  Nathan Brown           >  Northland College     
2009/10  Clayton Lewis           >  Buffalo State
2009/10  Darren Turner         >  Northland College

2010/11  Chasen Dobranski    >  Williston State College
2010/11  Ryan Presthus       >  Williston State College

Sioux Lookout Flyer Program

Schedule

The SIJHL regular season schedule is 56 games which includes a showcase tournament in Duluth in January. Most of the games are played on weekends with the exception of a few games during the week played against nearby teams. On the road, the Flyers use a modern coach bus with professional driver. The Club covers accommodation and meal costs during team travel.

Practices

Practices are held five days a week for one and a half hours per day. Lots of ice time is essential to a player's development and improvement. Practice is scheduled so that school classes are not interrupted when possible. The Flyers also have an extensive off-ice training program coordinated by our professional physical trainer.  The Municipal Recreation Centre is attached to the Memorial Arena and includes weight training facilities, aerobic equipment, running track, gymnasium, squash and racquetball courts.  The Club covers player’s fitness centre membership fees.   

Head Coach and General Manager  

Brad Zangs 
Brad was most recently head coach for the Albert Lea Thunder Junior A team in the North American Hockey League and also coached for the Northwest Knights and Butte Irish Junior programs

He was also on the coaching staffs at Iowa State University, where the Cyclones won an American Collegiate Hockey Association national championship, as well as Hamline University and Northland College.

Strength and Conditioning

Our qualified strength and conditioning coach prepares both off-season and in-season plans for our team.  Leadership and advice is provided on an individual basis.  The strength and conditioning program and leadership, combined with the advice from our professional nutritionist and the membership provided by the team to the fitness centre adjoining our arena facility, provides every player the opportunity to optimize his performance.
Strength and Conditioning coach: Melissa Zarecki, CK, CEP, "Functionally Fit"  
Melissa received her Honors Bachelor of Kinesiology degree from Lakehead University in 2002.  She is also a Certified Exercise Physiologist with the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology.  Melissa has been working in the field of strength and conditioning since 2002.  

Equipment:

The Club provides equipment and supplies as required, such as helmet, pants, gloves, sweater, socks, sticks and tape. The Club also helps players get team discount prices on skates.

Medical

The general health and well being of each player is a major concern with the Flyer’s staff.  It is expected that the players have their own primary provider through provincial or private health care coverage.  Arrangements are made with local doctors to take out-of-town players as their patients.  In addition to our training staff we have a health care professional in attendance at all of our home games.  Sioux Lookout is a medical hub and has approximately 20 doctors working here at any time.  A new $140 million regional hospital is under construction to replace two existing hospitals.   Team Physician: Dr. Jonathon E Morgan

Nutrition

Our Registered Dietitian provides advice and nutrition information to the players and billet families. Our Dietitian will provide individualized nutrition plans and follow up to interested players.  
Dietitian: Jennifer Maki, "JM Nutrition Consulting"   
Bachelor of Science (Human Nutrition) from the University of Saskatchewan in 2000, Master of Science (Nutrition) and Dietetic Internship from the University 
of Maine in 2002. She has been working as a Registered Dietitian in Sioux Lookout and surrounding area since 2002.

Education

The Flyers place a high priority on a player's education and are committed to helping him gain a higher level of education through his hockey career.  As well as the local high school, Sioux Lookout has a community college program through a Confederation College campus in the community and outreach programs by Lakehead University.  Our Player Services Coordinator is employed at the high school and will assist and counsel players to coordinate their education programs.  
Education Policy:

1. If the player is under 18 or has not graduated from high school, the player is expected to register and attend high school.

2. If the player has graduated from high school, we encourage players to register and/or attend one or more college or university classes.

3. If the players are 18 or over and choose not to attend high school or college, players must volunteer to community services and/or get part time work.  

4.  All players are requested to attend 1½ hours per week of life skills, tutoring and    guidance workshop conducted by the Players Services Coordinator.   

Guidance

Before they arrive in Sioux Lookout, players can receive help in choosing courses and enrolling at a high school or college. Particular emphasis is placed on choosing courses that will transfer to Canadian and U.S. universities. During the season, our Player Services Coordinator will assist players to succeed in their studies with advice, coordination of tutors, and follow up and communication with the schools. Each week, a 1.5-hour Study Hall allows players to complete assignments and to receive help from tutors and from fellow players.  
Player Services Coordinator: Debra Bray  
Student Counsellor, Keewatin- Patricia District School Board. 20 years of experience as an educational counsellor, including counselling students in areas such as personal crises, drug and alcohol addictions, social & emotional well being.

Life Skills Mentoring

The Flyers Player Services provides a Life Skills Mentorship Program in which some of the benefits are:

       •           Improve self confidence and self esteem

       •           Receive direction, broaden horizons and learn from past mistakes

       •           Increase knowledge and skills, develop ethics and standards

       •           Provide career and interest advancement and networking opportunities

       •           Enhance creativity and improve problem-solving techniques

       •           Orient new players

       •           Develop new career paths

       •           Develop future leaders

       •           Increase a player's control over career progress  

Player Services Coordinator: Debra Bray  
Student Counsellor, Keewatin- Patricia District School Board. 20 years of experience as an educational counsellor, including counselling students in areas such as personal crises, drug and alcohol addictions, social & emotional well being.

High School

In the public school system, the Flyers Club works closely with school counselors and teachers to ensure classes are attended and graduation requirements are met. The Club if required arranges for tutoring. The quality of education, which is provided at our high schools, is appropriate for advancement of education needs. 

Confederation College

The Flyer team is lucky to have a Confederation College extension located in Sioux Lookout. This College offers diploma and university transfer courses. College-age players are encouraged to take at least one course per semester, to prepare for life as a college athlete and to lighten semester loads when attending a Canadian or U.S. College or university.  

Jobs

The Player Services Coordinator provides opportunities for players to obtain part time work that will not conflict or interfere with the Flyers schedule.  The community of Sioux Lookout is economically diverse and has many job opportunities.  Unlike many small northern communities which rely heavily on the forestry or mining sector, Sioux Lookout’s economy includes acting as a regional service centre for thirty remote access First Nations communities to the north, air transportation centre, regional medical centre, tourism, CN Rail main line divisional centre, MNR District Office and Fire centre, INAC and Health Canada offices, professional offices (lawyers, engineers and architects, medical, educational), retail and commercial sectors.  
Player Services Coordinator: Debra Bray  
Student Counsellor, Keewatin- Patricia District School Board. 20 years of experience as an educational counsellor, including counselling students in areas such as personal crises, drug and alcohol addictions, social & emotional well being.

Sioux Lookout - Hub of the North

Welcome to the Municipality of Sioux Lookout, Hub of the North and Tourist haven. The below noted sites are a guide to Municipal services and community organizations.

Municipal Web page www.siouxlookout.ca

Chamber of Commerce web page  www.siouxlookout.com 

Sioux Lookout is in the heart of fishing, hunting, swimming and boating resources. We have a nine hole golf course, riding stables, groomed cross country ski trails, snow mobile trails, community fitness centre, and clean fresh air.  Our airport is one of the busiest airports in Ontario in terms of landings and take-offs.  We are truly the Hub of the North situated half way between Thunder Bay and Winnipeg.

Flyers Lounge and Dressing Room The Flyers play all their home games in Sioux lookout Memorial Arena, which includes a state-of-the-art dressing room and players lounge with a 42" TV. The Municipal gym and fitness centre is located in the same building.  The arena is centrally located in the community with easy access to hotels and restaurants.

Sioux Lookout Golf and Curling Club

Along with the lakes and a full array of sports fields, Sioux Lookout has a well-groomed, fully irrigated nine-hole golf course open to all and located in the community.  

Room and Board

For all out-of-town players we have a room and board program. Players are placed in carefully selected billet homes and these families are generally involved in some aspect with our Club. They take great interest in the player on and off the ice. Our Billet Coordinator acts as a liaison for the players and player’s families to ensure a good situation for players, host families, and player’s families.  
Billet Coordinator: Melissa Roy  

Community Services

The Flyers are a high profile sports club in the community and are often asked to take part in various functions. In addition, players go to elementary schools for volleyball or floor hockey and work to promote positive life styles. As role models for hundreds of youth in the community and surrounding region, players must conduct themselves in a respectable manner at all times.

Player Services Coordinator: Debra Bray  
Student Counsellor, Keewatin- Patricia District School Board. 20 years of experience as an educational counsellor, including counselling students in areas such as personal crises, drug and alcohol addictions, social & emotional well being.

Executive Board

The executive Board is a highly skilled and professional team of hockey enthusiasts in their fields of expertise. Their volunteer dedication and interest is motivated by their keen interest for the people in the community, the hockey players well being and a winning program first and then a winning team.

President--Mitch Wills

Past president--Doug Lawrance

Director of hockey operations--Luc Beaulne    

Treasurer/secretary--Terry Baker    

Director of business operations--John Bastone

Director of game day operations and public relations--Todd MacDonald

Director of first nations and player development--Luke Reynolds 

Tech Services/Webmaster - Andreas Kottschoth