The Chicago Cougars will be transitioning on-ice activities to Fifth Third Arena in Chicago, IL
CHICAGO, IL —The USPHL’s Chicago Cougars are proud to announce that, starting in the
2021-22 season, the team will be moving all on-ice activities, including games and practices, to
Fifth Third Arena, the official practice rink of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks.
From the moment they enter the arena, the Cougars will feel at home and like professionals in this
state-of-the-art facility on the west side of Chicago. Between the amenities of the lobby to the perks
of an official, designated locker room with individual stalls for each player, the Cougars are sure to
reap all of the benefits Fifth ThirdArena has to offer.
In addition, the team will take the ice for practice right after the Chicago Blackhawks, and will be able to take
advantage of a full shooting range with synthetic ice as they work to improve their on-ice
performance. Fifth Third Arena has everything the Cougars need to push themselves to be
better and to reach their goals.
“The facilities at Fifth Third Arena are second to none. If they are good enough for the pros, they
will be unbelievable for us. The Cougars will have some of the best amenities in junior hockey
this season,” says Cougars assistant coach Johnny Schwarz. “The work out space is
unbelievable and the shooting lanes are the exact lanes the Blackhawks use. The players will
get the closest experience to being a [professional] that junior hockey has to offer.”
In addition to on-ice activities, the team is proud to partner with Paul Goodman of Goodman Elite Training.
Goodman has twenty-seven years of experience training elite hockey players at the NCAA D-I and NHL level, and
has won three Stanley Cups during his tenure as the Chicago Blackhawks’ head strength and conditioning
coach. The Cougars players and staff will be able to benefit immensely from his knowledge and expertise,
and look forward to working with Goodman and the rest of his staff during the upcoming USPHL season.
“The Goodman Elite Training Staff and I are excited for the opportunity to work with an organization regarded so highly as [the] Chicago Cougars and train such an outstanding group of athletes,” says Goodman.
Jonathan Toews, captain of the Chicago Blackhawks and one of the athletes Goodman has helped train over the course
of his career, adds, “Not only does [Paul Goodman] help transform your body, but he also helps you improve your mental, emotional, and spiritual approach to the game.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to work with Paul and Susan Goodman and the Goodman Elite
training staff. They will be so instrumental in the development and success with our players off
the ice. Paul is a phenomenal trainer and person who truly cares about the people he trains,”
says head coach of the Cougars Josh Dallmann.
In addition to the partnership with Fifth Third Arena and Goodman Elite Training, the Cougars
are excited to announce the addition of Joe Caprio to the team’s coaching staff. Caprio, Fifth
Third Arena’s youth hockey supervisor and an assistant coach in the Chicago Mission organization, looks forward to joining the team next season and making a lasting impact on and off the ice.
“I am very excited to join the Cougars and help continue to build a winning program. I look
forward to helping build the skillsets of our players and help them advance their playing careers
into college,” says Caprio, adding that the aforementioned partnerships between the Cougars,
Fifth Third Arena, and Goodman Elite Training will “give the players the best chance to succeed
on and off the ice.”
Tryouts for the Cougars’ 2021-22 roster are set to begin July 17th, and will be held at Fifth Third
Arena.
About the Chicago Cougars:
The Chicago Cougars are a Tier-III junior hockey team competing the USPHL, the largest junior
hockey league in the United States. Since the team’s conception, the Cougars have won three
straight Midwest East division titles, and have made appearances at USPHL Nationals for four
consectuvie years. The Cougars are comprised of both local and out-of-town players aged
16-20, who work together toward their individual and collective goals on the ice, in the
classroom, and throughout the Chicago community.
