FARGO — The Fargo Force organization has applied for 18U boys, 16U boys, 19U girls and 16U girls teams in North Dakota to help support the state’s youth hockey players, the team said Thursday.
The organization applied through the North Dakota Amateur Hockey Association, which currently has a Tier I team, Team North Dakota. That team operates before and after the high school season.
Force team president Jon Kram said the NDAHA recently voted to approve full-season Tier I hockey at the high school level.
“To me, in North Dakota, it’s probably long overdue,” Kram told The Forum.
The NDAHA would not comment on the Force’s application when reached on Thursday afternoon.
Kram said high school players would have the option to play through or return to their prep teams for their seasons. The Force said players would be able to continue to attend their high schools as practices, workout and team activities would take place after the school day, especially at the 16U levels.
Expected annual costs for families are expected to be $12,000 to $15,000, the Force organization said. The club’s application for those four teams — one major team per age level — would have a roster plan capped at six out-of-district players per team.
The acceptance of all or any these four teams the Force applied for have yet to be approved by the NDAHA.
“The Force will support a program built primarily around North Dakota’s own talent base,” the team said in a statement.
The Force, which for the past 18 years has had a team playing in the USHL, a Tier I junior hockey league.
In its application, the Force stressed its coaching staff, structured player development, fair and open recruitment of players and its financial transparency and stability.
Rob Beer is the sports editor for The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. He’s been a journalist with Forum Communications since 1991. He can be reached at rbeer@forumcomm.com.