The 2002 AAU Junior Olympics will be remembered for breaking records and barriers. In 2002 the AAU Junior Olympics had if first All-Girls Divisions as well as the first time divisions were split between Elite and Competitive teams. We also had a record number of teams with 141 teams participating from 26 states and 3 countries.

In the 6u Elite Division we saw the Carolina Comets (Greensboro, NC) roll through the competition taking the first ever Gold Medal in the division. The Tour Jaguars (Deptford, NJ) took the Silver with the Bronze going to the Atlanta Vipers (Atlanta, GA) and the Copper to the Dream Team Dragons (Raleigh, NC). MVP was defenseman Alec Weinberg of the Carolina Comets.

The 8u Elite Division had the #1 ranked team coming into the competition finish the season undefeated taking the Gold Medal and the final #1 Ranking for 2002. The Rink Rats (Mt Laurel, NJ) came on a mission and fulfilled their goal defeating a tough and scrappy Skaters Xtreme (Snellville, GA) 6-4 in the finals. The Bronze medal went to the Tour Jaguars (Deptford, NJ) an the Copper went to the Firebirds (Detroit, MI) who upset the #4 seeded Inline One Piranhas (Long Island, NY) to make it to the Bronze Medal game. MVP was awarded to defenseman James McCormick of the Rink Rats.

The 8u Competitive Division Gold went to the Nexed Snake Eyes (Lexington, KY) as they avenged an earlier loss to the Hyper Rattlers (Ashland, VA) 6-5 in the finals. The Bronze medal was a battle of the cross-town rivals as the Dream Team Dragons (Raleigh, NC) defeated the Junior Rage (Cary, NC) 3-2 in overtime. Matt Watson of the Nexed Snake Eyes was named MVP.

The 10u Elite Division was taken by a tough Goodsports Sharks (Lakewood, NJ) team that went undefeated to win the Gold in a tough division defeating the Silver Medalist Inline One Piranhas (Long Island, NY). The Bronze went to the Coral Springs Cobras (Coral Springs, FL) and the Copper went to Team Mission (Kalamazoo, MI) who knocked off the #1 seed to get to the medal round. MVP was awarded to Tyler Maugeri of the Goodsport Sharks.

The 10u Competitive Division gave the Long Island Raptors (Long Island, NY) their first AAU Junior Olympic Gold after years of trying. The Raptors didn't have an easy time as they entered the playoffs the #4 seed and in order they had to defeat the #5 seeded Carolina Comets (Greensboro, NC), the #1 seed Tour Jaguars (Deptford, NJ) and in the finals they defeated the hometown #3 seed Dream Team Dragons White (Raleigh, NC). The Bronze medal went to the Tour Jaguars who's only loss was to the Raptors and the Copper went to the Dream Team Dragons Red (Raleigh, NC). MVP was Greg Cartwright of the Long Island Raptors.

The 12u Girls Division awarded the first Gold Medal ever in the AAU Junior Olympics in an All-Girls Division as the Panthers (Lake Ridge, VA) upended the undefeated Tour Jaguars 2-1 in an exciting finals. The Bronze medal was awarded to the Lady Panthers (Lake Ridge, VA). The AAU was also proud to present the first ever 12u Girls All-American team (see 12u Girls All-Americans). The MVP went to Kristin Cuff of the Panthers.

The 12u Elite Division had another #1 ranked team coming in as the Hyper Raptors (Pembroke Pines, FL) added to their 2002 AAU National Championship won at Disney as they defeated a tough Carolina Comets (Greensboro, NC) team 4-2 in the finals. In the Bronze Medal game, Team Extreme (Miami, FL) defeated the Cinci Roller Ducks (Cincinnati, OH) 5-2. Sal Lucannia (Hyper Raptors) was named the MVP.

The 12u Competitive Division came down to two teams that fought to get to the finals as the #7 seed Goodsport Sharks (Howell, NJ) defeated the #5 seed Stampede Hockey (Woodland, TX) 5-4 in overtime to take home the Gold. In the Bronze Medal game the Blue Diamond Blades (Hockessin, DE) defeated the Center Circle Scorpions (N. Brunswick, NJ) 5-3. Michael Seyglinski of the Goodsport Sharks took home MVP honors.

The 14u Elite Division was considered one of the toughest divisions in the AAU Junior Olympics as it was figured that any one of the teams had a shot to take home the Gold and in the playoffs it was anyone's to take. In the quarterfinals Team La-Tex (Lafayette, LA) and the East Coast Fury (Cherry Hill, NJ) were scoreless after regulation to see who would advance and be guaranteed a medal. It took a Stephen Hebert goal 15:30 into the overtime to send Team La-Tex to the semifinals and the 2002 AAU National Champions the East Coast Fury home. The Gold Medal game was just as exciting as the Detroit Mission Bulldogs (Detroit, MI) defeated Team La-Tex 7-6 in overtime with a game that seemed to have everything including a penalty shot for Team La-Tex called with :42 seconds left in regulation that tied the game and sent it to overtime and a goal called off 4:00 into overtime as the shot was kicked in by Team La-Tex. Both teams took home their first AAU Junior Olympic medals and in the Bronze medal game not to be overshadowed the Columbus Bandits (Columbus, OH) defeated the NJ Hyper Bandits (Linden, NJ) in a nail biter 1-0 to claim the Bronze. Defenseman Carson Jenkins (Detroit, MI) was named MVP.

The 14u Competitive Division Gold Medal game came down to a couple of undefeated teams meeting with the Firebirds 87's (Detroit, MI) defeated the Gear Shadows (Denver, CO) 6-1 and the in the Bronze medal game the Firebirds 88's (Detroit, MI) squeaked by the Tour Jaguars (Deptford, NJ) 6-5. Goalie Jon Bonham (Firebirds) was named MVP.

The 16u Girls Division again saw history being made as Nexed Detroit (Detroit, MI) took home the first ever Gold Medal awarded in this division with a 2-1 win over the Tour Jaguars (Deptford, NJ). The Bronze Medal game saw the Lady Dragons (Raleigh, NC) defeat Gear Mid America (Spencer, WV) 4-3 in which both games capped off an exciting debut for a great new division. The AAU is also proud that the first ever 16u Girls All-American team was announced. (see 16u Girls All-Americans). Kristen Yorgelevic of Nexed Detroit was named MVP.

In the 16u Elite Division another Nexed Detroit team captured the Gold as they defeated a very young and scrappy Bauer Labeda Xtreme (Cleveland, OH) team 3-1. Bauer had to win back to back overtime games to make the finals including defeating the #1 seeded Bayou Boys (Lafayette, LA) 5-4 in the semifinals. The Bronze medal game was won by the Hyper Eclipse (Haddenfield, NJ) as they defeated the Bayou Boys 7-2. MVP was Kevin Devergilo of Nexed Detroit. 

The 16u Competitive Division was won by Team Extreme (Miami, FL) as two undefeated teams met for the Gold. The Tour Jaguars (Deptford, NJ) took the Silver, the Astoria Knights (Astoria, NY) whose only loss came in the semifinals to the Jaguars took home the Bronze and Nexed Long Island (Long Island, NY) captured the Copper. Gavin Theile of Team Extreme was named MVP.

The toughest division at the 2002 AAU Junior Olympics had to be the 19u Elite Division where teams were loaded with the ice hockey stars of NCAA, the OHL (Ontario Hockey League), the USHL (United States Hockey League),the NAHL (North American Hockey League) along with Team Australia playing at the AAU Junior Olympics before going to the 2002 FIRS Junior World Championships. With 22 teams and no clear favorite it made for 4 days of great hockey and it drew clearly the largest crowds of the AAU Junior Olympics. This is a division where even the skills competition made great story lines. During the Hardest Shot competition Jim Slater (1st round draft pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft) of the Bauer Labeda Xtreme clocked a shot of 90mph and appeared to have won the event until the last shooter, Jay Vidrine of the Lake Charles Blast (Lake Charles, LA) hit 90mph with his last shot sending the competition into overtime. Slater hit 94mph with his first shot and then with his second shot sent the crowd gasping when he hit 102mph on the radar gun to win the competition and the admiration of the crowd. The games were just as exciting and in the Gold Medal game our neighbors from the North came down and took the Gold as Sarnia Bauer (Sarnia, Ontario, Canada) defeated the Bauer Labeda Xtreme 5-4 in overtime. The Bronze medal game was another exciting game as Crescent City Hockey (New Orleans, LA) defeated the 2001 Gold Medalist India Kitchen (Detroit, MI) 3-2 in overtime. Dan Worsley of Sarnia Bauer was named MVP and Steve Kolis of the Sin Bearing Bandits (Detroit, MI) was selected to Team USA and went on to win the Gold Medal at the 2002 Junior World Championships.

For more about the XXXV AAU Junior Olympic Games and photos, stats, and the All-American team selections click below: