Eleven years ago, Logan Cooley began playing hockey in Sidney Crosby’s Little Penguins program.

After years of training and improvement, Cooley will get a chance to compete with some of the top players in the country.

The forward from West Mifflin has been named to the U.S. National Team Development Program’s U17 team.

“Logan was part of the very first Little Penguins program, so it’s really an amazing story that he’s progressed all the way to the national development program,” said Rich Hixon, the Penguins’ vice president of facilities, who helped oversee the growth of the team’s youth hockey initiatives.

“We’re proud of him and his family, and all the coaches and teammates who helped along the way. It’s another great step in his career.”

Cooley, a Notre Dame commit, has played five seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite program. He averaged more than a point per game for the 16U team this year.

“Logan’s ability to process the game and make the right decisions puts him at an elite level,” said Brian Mueller, head coach of the 16U Penguins Elite team and executive director of hockey operations at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. “He is one of those players who can play with anyone and has the ability to make others better.”

This is the second straight season a player from the Penguins Elite program has made the national team. Colby Saganiuk played for the U17 this season.

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