The NC Force program is entering its 4th season. It has been a highly successful program that focuses its training on the weekends (Friday through Sunday) for a better family lifestyle. It is not a part time program. It is a full travel program that utilizes the professional background of its founder/owner Paul Strand to create an atmosphere of development that is unrivaled in NC. 

Strand is a dedicated part of each of the teams development and the NC Force coaches share his philosophy of development being the first priority. The NC Force program format allows families to spend Monday-Thursday concentrating on school, other sports or having individual development for those kids who only want to play hockey. NC Force encourages participation in other sports as they feel it is important to their physical development as well as their mental development for sports understanding.

NC Force does not hold tryouts and does not recruit. Players are taken on a first come first serve basis. Learning the past couple years that we do have to make some judgement calls for the benefit of the athlete and of the team. We do require the players to have the ability to play at a travel level and will suggest to some players that do not meet that requirement that they need to develop rapidly with work away from the team or the should consider house league or another program.

Our program costs and details are located below in a PDF Link.

If Interested please contact:

Paul Strand  -  pstrand@ncforce.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 9, 2018

NC FORCE ANNOUNCES EASTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE JUNIOR TEAMS FIRST HEAD COACH

RALEIGH, NC – Paul Strand owner and GM of the NC Force Golden Bears of the Eastern Hockey League is proud to announce Brent Selman as the franchise first Head Coach. “I have been friends with Brent for 12 years and have seen firsthand the program he built at Duke University of the ACCHL. Years of working with him in the youth community and spending time as an assistant for him at Duke and can attest to his attention to detail and ability to work with elite adult hockey players. He has an integrity and character about him that is rare these days.” Strand Says.

Selman, a Raleigh resident, brings a wealth of experience to the job, with this being his first foray into the junior ranks. Having spent the past 16 seasons as the Head Coach of Duke University Club program in the ACCHL, Selman has built that program into one with a strong reputation for its quality of play. Selman was a 6-time coach of the year in the ACCHL over his 16 seasons and won the league Championship 3 times. He has proven to be able to work with older players at a competitive level.

“I am excited to be a part of this EHL Franchise. Starting from scratch is never easy, but with a strong ownership group and a core group of players that have already expressed interest in joining our team- I think we are going to be a very well respected program”- Brent Selman.

In addition to building strong teams on the ice, Selman has been instrumental in developing an Alumni club that is unrivalled in the world of club hockey. Selman will maintain a strong tie to the Duke program alumni association in the future. Under Selman’s leadership we look forward to building that same Alumni strength with the NC Force.

Born in Sarnia, Ontario Canada, the 46 year-old Selman played his college hockey at Wilfrid Laurier University in U-Sports (Formally the CIS), Canada’s top Collegiate league. After college, Selman spent a couple years playing professionally. In 1993-94 Selman played for the Lakeland Ice Warriors in the Southern Hockey League amassing 15 goals, 22 assists, 47 points in 42 games. In 1994-95 Selman ventured overseas to the British Hockey League to play for the Bracknell Bees where he once again showed as scoring touch with 24 goals, 25 assists, 49 points in 44 games.

After playing spent time coaching in the Northwest USA. He developed programs in the Spokane and Seattle area. During this timeframe he travelled periodically to Raleigh to work with the Carolina Hurricanes in developing its diversity program. He liked the area and decided to move to NC to pursue his career and hockey life. We look forward to having Brent provide the leadership this inaugural year.

Bear tracks - NC Force begins play in the Eastern Hockey League in 2018-19. The EHL began as the Atlantic Junior Hockey league in 2003-04 and officially became the EHL in 2013. Prior to the 2017-18 season the Eastern Hockey League set out to re-brand its two divisions. The first division is simply the Eastern Hockey League, while the second division is called the Eastern Hockey League Premier.

NC Force is excited to be a part of a strong league that will see upwards of 100 NCAA D1 and D3 commitments from the current 2017-18 edition. A full list of NCAA commitments from the EHL can be viewed here: https://www.easternhockeyleague.org/ncaacommitments

 Media Contacts : Paul Strand – pstrand@ncforce.com   Website: www.ncforce.com