The Tier 1 Hockey Federation is proud to announce the newest member of their league – the Soo Indians. Hailing from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, the Indians bring with them a Tier 1 18U AAA team for the 2023-2024 season. This news comes as a great achievement for the Soo Indians, who have been working hard to establish themselves as a prominent 18AAA team in Michigan.
The Soo Indians are led by a team of experienced and dedicated coaches, including Jerry Lortie Jr, John Ferroni, and Rick Corbiere, all highly respected figures in the Michigan hockey community. Jerry, a Sault Ste Marie native, has extensive connections in the area and has worked in recruiting, development, and scouting in the Northern Ontario and USA Midwest region. John, born in Ste. Marie, Michigan, played for the Soo Indians as a kid and is now the head coach for the 2022-2023 AAA Soo Indians. Ferroni, who was also the Sault High School Hockey coach from 2011-2018, brings a wealth of experience to the team. Rick, head of player personnel for the Soo Indians, is an assistant coach for the 22-23 AAA Soo Indians. Corbiere worked as an assistant from 1995-2022 before coaching the Northern Michigan Black Bears in the NOJHL. He came back to being an assistant in 2021 for the 18U AAA team.
The Soo Indians have produced two standout alumni – Ryan Miller and Scott Parse – who have significantly impacted the program and left a great legacy behind. Ryan Miller, now with the Buffalo Sabres organization, played at Michigan State. Scott Parse, now with the LA Kings organization, played at Nebraska-Omaha.
As the only Midget AAA team left in the Upper Peninsula, the Soo Indians are proud to be one of the longest-running programs in Michigan. The Indians play out of Taffy Abel Arena on the Campus Lake Superior State and work closely with the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.
Tier 1 Hockey Federation (“THF”) is a USA Hockey Sanctioned Elite Tier-1 Youth Hockey League, managed by full-time professional staff. With over 200 elite or AAA teams from 9U-18U, the THF provides elite-level competition through an unbalanced schedule among Tier 1 and elite clubs across the U.S. Bringing together clubs from multiple leagues and states, the THF is the only organization whose members operate franchises in the top junior hockey leagues in the US for NCAA Division I commitments: USHL, NAHL, NCDC, and the top junior hockey leagues for NCAA Division III commitments, the USPHL Premier Division and the Eastern Hockey League.
The Soo Indians’ acceptance into the THF is a significant achievement, and the team is looking forward to the opportunities that membership in the league will bring. The THF is a highly competitive league, and the Soo Indians will have the chance to compete at the highest level against some of the best teams in the country.
Don’t forget to follow the Soo Indians on Facebook and witness their journey to even greater success in the Tier 1 Hockey Federation.