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New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal
Monday, December 18, 2006
Page: B1
Section: Money
Byline: Kate Shingler For the Telegraph-Journal
It's being touted as a kind of MySpace for hockey lovers, and the Saint John-based company YourTeam doesn't disappoint. The website is taking social networking to a new level, and its niche market is everything hockey.
Hockey lovers and brothers Adrian and Chris Nadeau launched YourTeam only seven weeks ago, and already more than 150 minor hockey teams have signed on to participate.
"It's basically a MySpace for each individual hockey team," explains Chris.
YourTeam is a free online service for coaches, players and parents.
Like many of today's popular social networking sites, revenue will come from advertisers not users.
On the site, teams can build a personalized website and blog, individuals can make their own player cards, coaches can provide maps to rinks, and there is team-wide e-mail, text messaging, and game notes available to users. Players can list their statistics and standings; parents can check schedules online or share photos and videos with friends and family members. If a practice is cancelled, instead of phoning each individual player, the coach can send out a group e-mail or instant message.
"It gives teams the communication tools to take their game to the next level, " says Chris.
Chris played defence for the University of New Brunswick before going on to play professional hockey for four years in the Central Hockey League. Chris and brother Adrian, who also played varsity hockey for Saint Mary's University, now coach Midget and Bantam AAA teams locally.
"I have a love and passion for the sport of hockey," says Adrian. "I've also played my entire life and am extremely happy to be able to give back something to the sport that gave me many great memories over my life."
As coaches and players themselves, they say they know what kind of web-based communication is needed to improve team performance.
"We've always had a love for hockey, and we have a love for the Web now too, " says Chris. "We thought - let's create this for minor hockey teams to operate a little better."
YourTeam started as a product of the Nadeau brothers' company Evolving Solutions, but with its rapid growth and teams subscribing from active hockey communities across New Brunswick and as far away as Ontario, the Nadeaus quickly realized YourTeam needed to be its own entity.
Communication is the key to building anything successful and at the minor sport level it is a major concern, according to Adrian, who says communication in minor hockey has got to improve between all three parties involved including coaches, players and parents.
"I think there is a need for a social networking tool with a hockey focus because it will be a great opportunity for minor hockey teams to communicate more effectively than they can now," he says.
While Chris's three-year-old son isn't playing on a hockey team yet, he says he gets a lot of feedback from friends with kids who do play about what needs to be done to improve communication within the community.
YourTeam is unlike any other social networking site, according to Chris, who says the site's exclusive hockey focus makes it unique.
He's convinced he and his brother were successful at developing YourTeam because they understand the sport so well.
© 2006 Telegraph-Journal (New Brunswick)
Idnumber: 200612180041
Length: 538 words
Keywords: TPMONEY; TP MONEY