What is the USHL?
The USHL, governed by USA Hockey, is the only Tier I junior league in America. To compete, players must be 20 years old or younger before the season begins.
What is the purpose of the USHL?
Because of the extensive practice and game schedule in the USHL, players have an opportunity to develop their skills at an accelerated pace that might otherwise be unavailable. The main purpose of the USHL is to help players, coaches, and officials advance their careers to the college and professional level.
The USHL prides itself on the professional presentation of an amateur sport. That professionalism manifests itself in the number of players and coaches who graduate to the collegiate and professional levels of the game.
How long is the USHL season?
Each team plays a 62-game regular season schedule starting in early October and finishing in early April. With exhibition games and playoff games, teams can total nearly 80 games played.
Where do USHL players come from?
The USHL attracts players from all over the United States as well as Canada and Europe. The league has a voluntary draft system to help insure parity among its teams from season to season.
Are USHL players paid?
Players are not paid for performing in the USHL. In accordance with the rules of USA Hockey and the NCAA, the league maintains a strictly amateur status.
USHL games are regularly scouted by NHL teams, NHL Central Scouting, and Division I-III universities. Because playing junior hockey often requires a player to move to the team's city, the teams help arrange housing and part-time jobs. Community involvement by the players is also encouraged by each team.
How long have the RoughRiders been in Cedar Rapids?
The RoughRiders arrived from Mason City in 1999 after having previously operated as the North Iowa Huskies. The Riders spent the first half of the 1999-2000 season on the road while awaiting the completion of construction on the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.
How do I buy RoughRiders tickets?
RoughRiders tickets are available online at
tickets.roughridershockey.com. Fans can save time and money by purchasing tickets online and in advance. Online ticketing is available 24 hours a day.
In addition to single game tickets, the RoughRiders offer a host of other convenient and affordable ticket options, including group tickets, flex plans, season tickets and luxury suites.
What about the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena?
The doors of the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena first opened in January, 2000. Arena construction was funded by a combination of public and private sources.
VenuWorks currently manages the ice arena under contract with the city of Cedar Rapids. VenuWorks is responsible, among other tasks, for scheduling ice time for youth and adult hockey programs, figure skating programs, recreational skating and all other arena events on both of the arena's ice sheets.
Ice arena concessions are managed by the VenuWorks, also under contract with the city of Cedar Rapids.
