About Us
Chowder Cup Begins 28th Season of Summer Tournaments
This year, the New England Pro-Am Hockey League will host it's 28th Senior Chowder Cup Tournament. This tournament has grown considerably
since its' inception in 1984 and is now considered emblematic of Junior Supremacy after the regular seasons are completed. Approximately 100 teams
are expected to participate in the 2011 Event.
Since 2004, Mike O'Connell Sr., Chief Operating Officer, and Director of day to day operations, has taken this tournament from less than 24 teams to what
it is today. He has been ably assisted by his son, Mike O'Connell Jr., Director of Hockey Operations, in bringing teams from all parts of the United States, Canada,
as well as many foreign countries to the Tournament. It is now fully scouted by most of the Division 1 and Division 3 College Coaches in the United States, as
well as many Junior League and National Hockey League Scouts. Jamie Mullen, Senior Administrator, is the third person, and important cog, in Media Development
as well as coordinating all Rosters through Leaguestat, an arm of Newssport Media, the Pro-Am's Web Site.
In 1988 the Pro-Am was the first amateur organization to bring the National Junior Team from the former Soviet Union to the city of Quincy. This was a momentous occasion, as the Soviets had never gone anywhere in the United States but straight to Lake Placid. In 1989, the Pro-Am Hockey League hosted the United States Junior National Team at Boston University in a "Friendly Games Series" against the Soviet Junior National Team before the start of the World Junior Tournament at Lake Placid. The Soviets also played a second friendly game versus an All-Star team from the Pro-Am League. With this background, the Pro-Am was chosen to host the 1990 World Select 16 Tournament in Boston featuring teams from Russia, Finland, Canada, and our own United States Team. They are still the only amateur organization in Boston ever selected to host a sanctioned World Tournament.
In 1989, the Pro-Am began the its' first Pre-Draft Showcase for players that are annually eligible for the NHL Entry Draft. It is now a highly successful annual
event held here in Boston each May. As for the Chowder Cup Tournaments, there is a progression for the highly skilled players to eventually reach the prestigious
Senior Chowder Cup. There are now over 50 teams who compete each July in the Mini-Chowder Cup for 13 & 14 year olds, the 90 team Junior Chowder Cup for
15 & 16 year olds, as well as the highly touted 70 teams Angela Ruggiero Women's Chowder Cup for ages 15 to 20 years old.
