The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Sept. 16, 2012

Cam Severson has seen a lot of arenas from his days as a player in the National Hockey League.

As director of the Spokane-based Compete Hockey Academy, he's helping bring the sport back to the Coeur d'Alene area in what he describes as the best facility in the northwest - Frontier Ice Arena.

SEVERSON IS coach of the Compete Rams, an under-17 academy team based in the Spokane/Coeur d'Alene area. They opened with an exhibition game on Friday night against Team Seattle at Frontier Ice Arena in Coeur d'Alene.

Severson, 34, played professionally for the Anaheim Ducks from 2002 to '04 and with the Columbus Blue Jackets in '06, before finishing his career in Germany and Austria. Prior to that, he played for the Spokane Chiefs.

The Rams include three players from Seattle, one from the Tri-Cities and another from Phoenix. Local players include Andrew Hicks, Kasey Peach, Chauncey Hughes, Derek Griffin and Eric Yeager of Coeur d'Alene.

"The team consists of some of the better players in the state of Washington, as well as Idaho," Severson said. "All of our out-of-town players are living with host families and we've got a partnership with Genesis Prep to set up an educational program."

Players also have their grades checked every two weeks. If they don't meet a 2.5 grade point average - they don't play.

"It's not just about getting players to the NHL and or playing college hockey," Severson said. "We're teaching them life skills and focus on their education so they've got options when they leave the program."

The season lasts seven months, including a trip to the Rocky Mountain Regional tournament in March to play against teams from Colorado and surrounding areas.

"We're the only Tier 1 program in Idaho right now," Severson said. "It's definitely going to be a great experience. Hopefully we'll be able to compete against them."

THE RAMS play at the Midget (15-17 years old) Tier 1 level and compete in tournaments throughout the United States and Canada.

“Our main thing is to expose them to the game,” Severson said. “We’re playing against the best in the U.S. and Canada and it’s a great opportunity for the kids and give them a chance to play against guys at their own age level.”

The Coeur d’Alene Junior Hockey Association has fielded teams in a Tier 3 Junior League.

“For a player that’s 15,16, 17, it’s huge to play against players your own age,” Severson said. “But playing with other players at that level, you also have a more committed group.”

After four years of construction, Frontier held its grand opening on Sept. 8.

“I think it’s a great, great facility,” Severson said. “(KYRO President) Vince Hughes has done a great job of putting that thing together and the community support has been unbelievable. It was an unbelievable team effort to make this thing work. It’s a state-of-the-art facility and one of the best in the country. When that thing’s fully finished, it will be huge and it’s going to grow the skating as a whole and overall, it’s going to be a great little hockey town.”

Future plans for the academy include the possibility of adding teams in bantam (13-14 year old) groups.

“I really want to make sure I’ve got my feet under me,” said Severson, who also runs skills camps in Alaska. “There’s lots of work that goes into the program and I want to make sure our program is established and is a good on-ice program. We really want to gain some community awareness and a good product of hockey for people to watch and give them an opportunity to play at a high midget and bantam level.”

For more information, visit www.competehockey.com.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected].