NAHL Texas Tornado team spells lot of talent and titles

Few teams in the history of Junior "A" hockey have won three straight titles.
FRISCO, Texas -- From the Stanley Cup to the Super Bowl, great accomplishments in sports are often appreciated after they are achieved. The how and why of it all is answered only after it has been accomplished. Enter the Texas Tornado Hockey team.
Whether you have followed the Tornado since their inception in 1999, or when they moved to their new home in Frisco in 2003, or after winning their two Robertson Cup Championships in 2004 and 2005, one thing is for sure -- what is happening right now is history in the making.
As the 20-team North American Hockey League playoffs culminate with the 2006 NAHL Robertson Cup Championships, the Tornado will try to accomplish what few teams have ever done in the history of United States Junior "A" hockey -- win three straight championships.
As the Tornado was completing a sweep of the Texarkana Bandits in the South Division Finals with a 2-0 win over the Texarkana Bandits, coach-general manager Tony Curtale paused for reflection on what his team had just accomplished -- winning its third straight NAHL South Division playoff title.
"This unprecedented success is a testament to the strong and committed ownership, our incredible fans, and all of the Texas Tornado players," said Curtale.
Rewritten record book
Combine the three straight playoff titles with the seven straight NAHL regular season division titles and seven straight 40-plus win seasons, and the Tornado has rewritten the NAHL record book. Their seventh straight division crown this season tied a 30-year NAHL record, originally set in 1976 by the Paddock Pools Saints from Michigan, and their seven straight 40-plus win seasons is an ongoing NAHL record.
"Every year is special for me with these players because it is all about providing them a good experience and we have been fortunate enough to have some very good players and teams help in this accomplishment," said Curtale.
Under the direction of Curtale, the Tornado has won 77 percent of their games during their seven-year history.
However, Curtale's devotion and impact runs much deeper. His knowledge of the game and the business helped to establish and develop the organization from the ground up in 1999, and earned him the NAHL Executive of the Year. The Tornado established an entirely new fan base in a state which had never seen junior hockey before, while winning an NAHL expansion record 42 games. In 2003-04, Curtale was named NAHL Coach of Year, as the Tornado set an all-time NAHL record with 48 wins. However, Curtale's ultimate impact is felt by his players.
"So much about what we try and teach is about life experiences," explains Curtale. "We want our players to have an unforgettable experience during their time with us and so much of that is helping them with their life and hockey."
Players advance
Combine all this with the fact that his players are the most scouted and developed in the league, and it is easy to understand why the Texas Tornado has placed over 70 players in NCAA or professional hockey programs in just seven years.
What has made the Tornado on-ice accomplishments even more impressive is that unlike the NHL, where players can stay with the same team for years, the goal of the Tornado is to move almost half their roster on to college and professional hockey from year to year. Every year is literally a rebuilding year for the Tornado.
"People need to understand that half your roster leaving from year to year is a good thing," said Curtale. "The ultimate goal here is to keep guys for one to two years, and move them on. We get as much satisfaction in seeing our players have success after they have moved on to other programs, as we do when they are here succeeding for the Tornado."