CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars, in conjunction with the Youth Hockey Foundation of Austin (YHFA), announced they have partnered to form the Texas Junior Stars.

“The Texas Stars strongly believe in community involvement and the development of youth hockey in Central Texas,” Texas Stars President Rick McLaughlin said. “The Texas Junior Stars allows us to do both. It also ensures long-term strengthening and growth of youth hockey in the Greater Austin area.”

The Youth Hockey Foundation of Austin is a nonprofit corporation that is operated and sustained by the community to develop, encourage and foster youth hockey players in the Austin metro area. The YHFA was established in 2008, taking over the Austin Youth Hockey Association (AYHA), which operated from 1997 to 2008.

YHFA’s youth travel team will be renamed the Texas Junior Stars after playing under the name Austin Roadrunners from 1997-2010. The Texas Junior Stars will wear jerseys designed to look like the elder Stars’ jerseys. In all, seven travel teams will sport the Texas Junior Stars logo.

The YHFA and Chaparral Ice combine to form approximately 20 teams with over 250 boys and girls ranging from ages four to 18. The YHFA’s goal is to provide kids with a form of exercise, teamwork and good sportsmanship. There are multiple sheets of ice in the Greater Austin region used by YHFA, including two Chaparral Ice locations, North I-35 and Northcross at West Anderson Lane.

“This is a great opportunity to form a lasting partnership with Central Texas’ only professional hockey team,” YHFA President Corky Brown said. “We are proud to wear the Stars jersey and we are looking forward to working with the Texas Stars (AHL) to encourage kids in the community to give hockey a try.”

For more information about the YHFA please log on to the YHFA’s official website http www.austinicehockey.com.

Contact the writer at: Mitch.Cooper@prohockeynews.com