By Jake Jones, ABC/FOX Montana Sports Reporter
September 17, 2015
GREAT FALLS –It’s been 14 years since the Americans were able to hang a banner in their arena. But now that they’re the defending Frontier Division champions, they admit that it’s a title that they’re still getting used to.
“Its exciting. It’s a new position to be in,” says Americans head coach Jeff Heimel. “The whole last three years we’re trying to get there. To defend it as opposed to taking it away from someone is a little bit different.”
Their reward last year was a trip to Illinois where they competed in the NA3HL Silver Cup Championship. The Americans didn’t win a game but they say their experience has made them hungrier going into the new season.
“It was great to win a Division championship last year, but now the bar is set higher,” says Heimel. “We’re expecting to compete for a league championship this season.”
“With the leadership last year, I know going there last year and not doing to well was pretty tough on us,” says Americans Forward Josh Larson. “And that’s going to give us the extra push to make sure we’re doing the work here to get there.”
Half of the team is new this year but their goal is the same: to help the Americans get back to Illinois. And the know what they need to do.
“I think we have to work,” says Newcomer Goalie Caleb Andersen.” “We have to do all around team activities and all around get better.”
Getting better has been the theme of the Americans in the last four years. And if the results are any indication, then we could be looking at the birth of a new hockey dynasty in Montana.
Story Courtesy: ABC/FOX Montana (KFBB): Great Falls Americans excited to keep success going in 2015 (September 17, 2015)