Buffalo Storm Inline Hockey

Founded in 1995 by Peewee Travel Hockey Coach Tony Pierino as a way to get his team some extra practice time during the off season, the roots of the Buffalo Storm can be traced back to the American Indoor Hockey League in West Seneca, NY. 

Competing in the Peewee Division, the Roller Warriors took the league by 'storm', capturing the Peewee Division Championship as well as that season Playoff Championship.  Realizing he had a pretty good team on his hands, Pierino took his team on a barnstorming mission up north, entering Canada Inline's Can/AM Tournament.   The Roller Warriors found themselves facing off against teams from Canada, Germany, Australia and Argentina; the international competition was second to none.  It was there where Pierino met Canada Inline President Dave Easter - the foundation was laid as Easter and Pierino discussed the Roller Warriors Team and their future. 

The Roller Warriors returned home and captured a Midget League Championship in the Cheektowaga Youth & Recreational Services Inline Hockey League in 2000; posting a 12-0-0 record during the season.  The following year, the team went on to complete their dominance of the Cheektowaga Inline League by capturing the Wednesday Night Adult League Championship in 2001 with a 14-1-1 record.

After a few years of tossing ideas around, Tony Pierino approached Eric Godzich, coordinator of the Cheektowaga Inline Hockey League in early 2004 about the possibility of establishing a Junior A Inline Hockey Team to participate in Dave Easters Great Lakes Inline Hockey League of Canada Inline. 

At the time, Pierino was an assistant coach with the Buffalo Lightning's Junior A Ice Hockey team, and was given permission to use the teams name and a slightly modified logo to get his idea off the ground.  Pierino contacted Easter and was able to get the wheels turning and his name on the meeting agenda for the coming season; Pierino, Godzich and then Buffalo Lightning Public Relations Man Mike Mroziak headed up North to meet with the team owners of the GLi League and show what they had to offer.  After their presentation to the leagues brass, the Buffalo Franchise was awarded to the group and the team was off and rolling; the Buffalo Lightning Junior A Inline Hockey Team was born. 

Composed mostly of players from the Cheektowaga Warriors powerhouse Midget Ice Hockey team and a few other players picked up along the way, the Lightning entered the league in the 2004 season.  The young team entered the season as huge underdogs, most players were only 16 or 17 years of age, while the other teams in the league were made up of players who were at least 20 years old - the Lightning earned a victory in their very first game ever against the Burlington Wave; a sure sign of things to come.

During the 2006 Season, Tony Pierino approached the owner of Eagle Systems of Cheektowaga, NY about the possibility of sponsoring his Jr. A Inline Club for the coming season; with this meeting a partnership was born. Eagle Systems agreed to become the primary sponsor of the Buffalo Jr. A Inline Team; but Pierino felt he needed to create his own identity for the team.

 After a few weeks at the drawing board, the Buffalo Storm Jr. A Inline Hockey Team was born; thanks in part to Tony's brother Mark Pierino who had just returned to Buffalo from San Diego, CA - the weather was Mark's primary reason for coming up with the "Storm" name.

Pierino then asked Wendy Clark, the wife of one of his former hockey players, to design a new look for his newly named team; Clark had just finished school as a designer and came up with the logos that adorn both the Storm's current uniforms and this website.

The new look Buffalo team took to the floor in early 2007 and took off rolling into the future...

In 2008, Pierino took the next step with his franchise by creating the 18 & Under Midget Tournament team as a feeder program for the Jr. A Storm.  The team will participate in Narch, Tohrs and other high profile tournaments in the States and Canada. 

The 18 & Under team will have the opportunity to play other GLi teams that have Midget programs.  Players will also have the chance to play up on the Jr. A team if needed. Players on that team will have first consideration for the future Jr. A Storm teams. 

Rich Ineson (Longtime Cheektowaga Warriors Coach and St. Mary's High School Varsity Ice Hockey Coach) will be the teams first coach. 

The ultimate goal for this program is to add Tournament Teams at the 10 & Under, 12 & Under and 14 & Under age groups in the very near future.

In an attempt to build on the success of the last few years, the Buffalo Storm Inline Hockey "Organization" was born in the winter of 2008 and will be introduced to the inline hockey world in the spring of 2009.  To further progress the program, the Storm have officially taken over the Youth In-House Inline Hockey League at the Cheektowaga Recreation Center and will introduce Youth Travel Teams at all levels in the spring. 

With the hope that a solid foundation will bring future success, the Storm hope to lay the groundwork for an elite organization by building a solid feeder system that will give players the opportunity to progress through the ranks, with the ultimate goal of playing for the United States only Junior A Inline Hockey Team.