HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1991-12-11, Page 17•
Huron Park Pacers in midst
of a growing youth movement
By Fred Groves
HURON PARK - It's Saturday
night and the sounds of the game
are everywhere.
From talk in the hallways and
dressing rooms to blades ripping
the ice and pucks being shot.
Players, coaches and fans yell en-
couragement.
But most of the voices have a
higher tone. Under the helmets and
facemasks are women who are
competing in their sport; hockey.
Although the Huron Park Pacers
have been playing out of the Ste-
phen Township Arena for several
years now, it appears as though
they have found new life.
This winter, several new players
have joined their ranks. They are
young players, most still in high
school and most wanting to take on
a new challenge.
A few weeks ago goalie Manon
Rheaume faced 13 shots as she
played 17 minutes for the Trois-
Rivieres Draveurs of the Quebec
Major Junior Hockey League.
She is the first woman to play in
a game at the level which is one
step away from the pros.
Whether or not Rheaume makes
it to the big leagues is unknown but
what is certain is that miles away in
Huron Park, the Pacers are letting
the world know that women's hock-
ey is flourishing.
"I played a year of body contact
in peewee. The guys were bigger so
I quit," said Campbell.
She is a rightwinger and is a good
skater thanks to Frank Funston's
Power Skating School in Huron
Park.
"I really like the ,sport and it's
good exercise," she said of hockey.
In hockey you have many rules
including offside and icing which
for a newcomer could be tough to
adjust to. But Campbell says she is
coping.
"The rules are ho problem but the
stickhandling is," she said.
Jayne Rowe is a defenceman with
the Pacers and like Campbell is re-
turning to a game she played when
she was younger.
"I've always wanted to play hock-
ey. I went to my brother's games,"
said Rowe.
Her favourite NHL team is the
New York Rangers and she is a big
fan of ex -Ranger and Exeter native
Dave Shaw, another defenceman.
The Huron Park Pacers have sev-
eral veterans. Experienced players
who have been around the game for
a few years.
"Everytime I do something
wrong or don't know where to be,
they tell me," said Rowe of the help
from the other players.
Stronger program: While the
London Devilettes are well known
the Pacers, had a tryout with the
Canadian Women's National Team
in Brantford this fall.
Huron Park was in the Ontario 'B'
finals last year, that's where Wells
and former Pacer Linda Coulter
were noticed and given an invita-
tion to the National Camp.
"They said come out and tryout.
They said they saw me at the all-
Ontarios," said Wells.
Unfortunately neither Wells nor
Coulter made the team.
"I'd say I was equal [with the oth-
er players]. Nobody outshone any-
one else."
It cost Wells $75 to tryout and
she said if she would have made it
to the final camp it would be an-
other $400 out of her own pocket.
Quite a change from her male coun-
terparts who get all expenses paid.
"It's pretty political. They said
we'd make it if we made a name for
ourselves," said Wells.
In Huron Park on Saturday nights
Wells, Campbell, Rowe, Riehl and
all the rest are making a name for
themselves.
Tonya Riehl has been a goalie in
both ringette and field hockey at
South Huron District High School
where she is still a student. Now,
she is a leftwinger with the Pacers.
"I've grown up with the game
[hockey] but stickhandling is new
and you have io ' keel3 your head
up," said Riehl before a game
against the tough London Devil -
cues.
Ringette involves a player putting
her stick in the ring and before the
recent rule changes, it was an of-
fensive orientated game. Riehl says
just getting to the puck in hockey is
at times difficult.
"The first couple of games I nev-
er touched the puck. People were
always taking me out," she said.
"It's such an offensive game [rin-
gette], the defensive players are
withdrawn from it."
Played with the boys: Tina
Campbell, also a field hockey
player, is no stranger to the game as
she used to play minor hockey with
her brother.
for their strong womnrt's hockey
programs which starts at the pre-
teen ages and goes up to senior
women's calibre, the Pacers also
seem to be building a program.
Coach Mari Green said defence -
man Lynne Farquhartried to, get a
team of younger players together
last winter and play in London but
she said Farquhar was told the Dev-
ilettes wanted to separate the team
and disperse them on different
teams.
Green says the newcomers to this
year's Pacers team are a welcome
addition to the team that has for
years usually had only 10 or 11
skaters per game. They had 15 on
.the weekend.
"They'll do alright. The biggest
thing is getting used to the puck.
The first couple of games they were
nervous but they are getting better
every game," said Green.
Perhaps the biggest boost to the
Pacers' program has been the recog-
nition Yvonne Wells has brought.
The speedy centre, and captain of
The puck dribbles past Huron Park goalie Tess Nethery while
Sandra Smale looks on.
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T�ughe�OW�mIc times
hurting sports teams
The economic mess
we are in is starting
to rear its ugly head
in sports.
Last week news came from
the Soviet Union that 25,000
athletes and 1,200 coaches
were being axed from the
payroll. Although reports say
the Olympic program is not in
serious jeopardy, don't expect the Soviets to dominate at the
Olympics anymore.
The National Hockey League has offered its support
through consultation but that's not the same as money. The
NHL hasn't got it to spend anyway, or do they.
Toronto Maple Leafs have signed Grant Fuhr to a $1.6 mil-
lion deal per year for the next five years. Although that is not
as high as some of the baseball salaries, it's a lot.
What about the guy who made Fuhr expendible, Bill Ran -
ford. He's better than Fuhr. Does this mean he's going to get a
raise.
Closer to home, the Exeter Mohawks executive put a lot of
leg work into planning a Senior 'A' hockey tournament in ear-
ly January. For a couple of reasons, one of them being eco-
nomics, the toumament has been cancelled.
Personally I was really looking forward to 11 The couch in
the press box could have been my bed for a couple of days.
Mohawks vice-president John Pryde said the club extended
the deadline a week in an attempt to get eight teams but after
many phone calls they could only muster five.
"The attitude of teams was positive at the start of the year,"
said Pryde.
Ingersoll, Dunnville, Exeter, Lakeshore and Petrolia all in-
dicated they would take part.
Pryde said economics weren't the sole mason why a couple
of teams said they wouldn't show.
"It was lack of player commitment from several teams
whose executives were going to fit the bill," said Pryde.
January 2-4 is a tough time for a lot of teams to play since it
is in the midst of the holiday season.
Still on the Mohawks, attendance is down and you have to
wonder if it has anything to do with finances. It's still just $4
to watch a good senior hockey game; kids get in free.
Exeter has, in the past, been known to put a superior team
on the ice and as a result, have beaten their opponents quite
easily. Some hockey fans may question whether or not they
are getting their entertainmegt dollar's worth when they
know who is going to win the game before it starts.
But look what's happening in 1991-92.
Four of their 11 victories have been won by only a single
goal.
I've also heard that very few of the players are local. Well,
take a look at any Junior 'B' or.OHL team and you'll see there
aren't too many homegrowns on their clubs either.
The Mohawk executive has to be wondering what to do to
get fans into the arena. Providing a team that is not over-
whelming but still winning games is the kind of team.I like to
watch.
sidelines
by
Fred
G roves
The next two home games for the Exeter Junior 'D' Hawks
promise to have lots of off -ice activities as well as good hock-
ey. On Friday, the Hawks are giving one dollar off the regular
admission to anyone who donates canned or other non-
perishable food items.
Hawk president Wayne Dickins urges all Hawk fans to
bring food items as there is a much larger demand for the ser-
vice this year.
On December 20, the Hawks are holding their annual minor
hockey and ringette night where players from Exeter, Hensall
and Huron Park will get free admission.
Greg Young of the Exeter Atom Crunchers had quite a
weekend as he scored seven goals to lead his team to a 9-7
win over Ilderton Kings on Saturday...Mike Wilhelm of the
Atom Packers had four goals in an 11-2 win over llderton
Oilers. Good work boys, keep it up.
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