The U.S. Youth Olympic Men's Hockey Team has selected Sharks Ice at San Jose as their training camp location before the squad departs for the 2024 Youth Olympic Games, which are being held in Gangwon, South Korea.
The team will hold practices at Sharks Ice at San Jose on Jan. 20, 21 and 22 and will participate in a ceremonial puck drop ahead of the Sharks Jan. 20 game against the Anaheim Ducks.
“We’re excited to train in San Jose,” said Jon Bonnett, head coach of the U.S. Youth Olympic Men’s Hockey Team. “We appreciate the Sharks welcoming us with open arms, and we’re thankful to be able to utilize their world-class facilities as we prepare to head to South Korea to represent our country.”
“Sharks Ice at San Jose is thrilled to host the U.S. Youth Olympic Men’s Hockey Team,” said Senior Vice President, SAP Center & Sharks Ice Jon Gustafson. “The fact that a national program boasting the top young talent in the country is coming to Sharks Ice is a testament to the world-class facility that the City of San Jose has invested in.”
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) created the Youth Olympic Games with the vision of an event designed to inspire young people all around the world to participate in sports and adopt and live by the Olympic Values of Excellence, Respect and Friendship.
The inaugural Summer Youth Olympic Games were held in Singapore in 2010 and the first Winter Youth Olympic Games took place in January 2012 in Austria.
The event brought together top athletes between the ages of 14 and 18 from over 60 nations to compete in the seven sports, which were also represented at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. The athletes also had the chance to participate in a Culture and Education Program designed to raise participants’ awareness of the Olympic Values and address topics including Olympism, skills development, well-being, healthy living, social responsibility and expression through digital media.
The 2024 U.S. Youth Olympic Men's Hockey Team is comprised of 17 players born in 2008, including California natives, forwards Logan Stuart (Los Angeles), son of former Sharks defenseman Brad Stuart, and Zane Torre (Ladera Ranch).
The American squad will begin tournament play against Slovakia on Saturday, Jan. 27 and look to continue its strong play in the competition, most recently taking silver medal in 2020 and capturing gold in 2016. Other participants in the six-team field include Canada, Czechia, Finland, Korea and Slovakia.
Notable alumni from the U.S. Youth Olympic Men's Hockey Team include Jack Eichel (2012), Nick Schmaltz (2012), Ty Emberson (2016), Oliver Wahlstrom (2020), Cutter Gauthier (2020), and Jimmy Snuggerud (2020).
A full Team USA roster is available here (will link pdf), and more information on the 2024 Youth Olympic Games can be found here.
