2010 will be tough to top for Winters

Corona’s Josh Winters has had quite a run so far in 2010 with a gold medal at the American Inline Hockey League’s Minor Division national championship tournament as a member of the Junior Ducks and a silver medal at the FIRS junior men’s world inline hockey championships as a member of Team USA. There is the possibility for even more.

Winters served as a co-captain on Team USA along with San Jose’s Jacob Hickey and was among seven Californians on the U.S. roster that competed June 27 to July 2 in Duesseldorf, Germany. The 19-under American squad advanced to the championship game, dropping a 6-2 decision against the Czech Republic, which repeated as gold medalists.

California teams turning in golden performances at NARCh

California teams have continued to make a statement at the 2010 NARCh Finals since the puck first dropped on the massive 336-team tournament on July 16 at Silver Creek Sports Complex in San Jose.

Seven California champions and nine silver medalist teams were crowned in the tourney's opening five days of competition and three more Golden State teams were added to the champions list, and five more as runners-up, as the event reached its halfway point.

Monsters' main camp starts Monday

FRESNO - The Fresno Monsters will hold main camp, the last preseason tryout camp, at Selland Arena beginning on Monday and concluding with an All-Star Game on Saturday presented by Little Caesars Pizza, the Fresno Bee, KSEE24Rewards.com, and 1430AM ESPN Radio.

California clubs off and rolling at NARCh Finals

With 336 teams total and 4,000 athletes, the 2010 NARCh Finals in San Jose is the largest inline hockey championship tournament this year in North America and, well ... the world.

The upcoming State Wars tournament Aug. 4-15 in Chicago is expected to include approximately 265 teams, and the recently completed Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympic Games in Southern California attracted approximately 240 teams, with between 2,500 and 3,000 athletes competing from nine nations.