HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1992-02-12, Page 13Ow the road with senior hockey
By Fred Groves
4:15
Ism., Thursday, lexeter
This is no ordinary bus, it's customrred. Television monitors, big con.
--f ortableneatsanda washroom.
Under the bus are all the necessities of hockey. Sticks, equipment,
skates and medical supplies. This is Senior 'A' hockey, a road trip to
Dwtnville.
It's a three-hour voyage to the home of the night's opposition, the Mud -
cats. The Exeter Mohawks have been battling for first place with the
Mudcats all season. They've been fighting with them tor several years.
While the National Hockey League and all pro sports teams have the
14uury of je*Ug from onm city to the naL(I.ag:Aneles Kings own.there
trti �iaiie], tor -Seeder 'A' players int the highway coach.
A couple of nights before, the Mohawks travelled- to Aylmer by way of
a school bus. The shorter trip means fewer luxuries; no TV, no washroom
and no nice comfy seats. It's economics, the highway coach costs big
bucks.
"I don't think anyone likes ;ravelling.You :Can'Lget.comfartab e..on_a_.
school bus," said Mohawks veteran forward Gord Brooks.
411'm a little older now and Its brinier to get comfortable."
Loading the bus: In Exeter, executive member Stew Taylor andpresi-
dent Gabby Mol who on this night doubles as the bus driver, load equip-
ment.
Jeff Warren arrives in a van from work, Barry Baynhant, Andre Pre-
vost, Ron Elliott and Kevin McArter board the bus. The others are picked
up along the way.
In Lucan, centre Wayne Urbshott has brought videos which makes the
trip go by a lot quit-rec. Trainer John Miller, coach -manager Dave Rev-
ington and assistant coach Al Gates join those already on the bus.
Baynham jumps out and heads in for a coffee, Mol almost forgets4n..1
but others on the bus yell to wait.
The Earl Bird Cafe at the corner of Highbury and Fanshawe in London
is the next stop. This is where to largest group gets on: Tim Shields,
Dale Gibbon, Paul Woolford, Mark Bannon, Greg Payne, Dave Wilson,
Craig Oster, Rick Pikul and Kris Bedard.
Brooks is a veteran of long distance travel playing in the NHL, AHL,
NAHL, IHL just to name a few Leagues.
"When I played in the American League, we had 20 bunks on the bus
and two Gard tables," said Brooks an AIH!., scoring champ who spent pan
of three season in the National Hockey League.
Bigger leagues mean other modes of transportation.
"When I played in Denver in. the Ventral League, we -flew everyWhere,"
said Brook..
"You take your skates on the plane with you. 1 just 'got wad to Mktg
that.'
But on this night to Dunnville, the Mohawks don't have to worry about
any of their equipment. Miller, Mol .and Stewart make sure it's present
and accounted for.
Usually, trainer Mike Soldan is the guardian 'of the equipment but he
couida4-4A6ch weak oonualtinents:- ,c pyto
Aylmer, he drove the bus. Senior 'A' hockey means many tasks for many
people.
6 p.m. It's dark now but still two -and -a -half hours away from game
time. Paris is the next stop and two-thirds of the best line in the league get
on. Joe Scherer, Greg Snyder [the other member is Oster], Scott Pfaff and
4tidtardinvhiinhare-irnihe41rtal-pielsap-gnwp. _ , _ ._•
-At:7;3Q-p.m-the_-bus-arrives-in Dunn'iilte.-at ii p.m.-theleam. tits -rho lcc
forthe pre -game skate. That's not much time to get a coke and suit .up. No
lime for sightseeing in the arena, they've seen it before anyway.
On this night the Mohawks are beaten in overtime. Andre Prevost goes
to -the hospital with a possible fractured skull which meant several stitch-
es.
Taking equipment off at the end of the game is slow, it's been a long
night. No celebration on the ,way home, the cooler is opened and the
players, coaches, wives, girl friends, executive members and oven a re-
porter settles down for the long trip home.
Has seen a lot of aides: Besides Brooks, Revington has seen a lot of
highway miles. He played pro. in Germanwand has coached both senior
and junior hockey. Hes been an a lot of bus trips.
"We'd always go on a two-day swing because we were on the west
end," said Revington.
"I don't mind bus travelling, over there it's picturesque, there's a lot to
sec.'
Continued on page 17
Mohawks executive Stew Taylor loads hockey sticks onto the bus.
1IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINIIIINgIU111911N111111IIg111111umtl1111111111111111111111111UIIINIII1bINIiN11111II111I11I I1►111►UIIIIII11111111111IIIIIIIII11111II II11111111II111111IIIIII111111IIIIII111111111111Iillli1
canon 4,/
maiR
INSTANT COLOUR COPJrL .
Enlarge famtty or team photos
.to81/2x11
or even 11 x 17 instantly
with outstanding results
Ideal for business presentation materials ,
even colour transparencies
,42.4slain Street Exeter
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAHIA11111111111111111111111111111i1111i IIIIU1111111I111111ii1
lila ellwriPinills
u , purpleeve-
putple.
F.verytime I look
at a Canadian flag 1 see a big
RED maple Leaf surmurded
by more RED.
So why is it the Canadian
Olympic team is wearing pur-
ple for the Winter Olympics
in France?
We are not simply dealing with a color here or a fashion
statement. In this particular argument, it's national identifica-
tion.
I can sec these `pbbr athletes parading at the Olympics for
the entire world to see and they are wearing purple. Well, 1
guess they'll stand out in the crowd.
They may be visible but it's going to be tough to know what
the well-dressed Canadian is wearing this winter. Sports is
sports, bringing fashion into it is ridiculous. Does this mean
the Canadian flag is going to become purple?
-At 4 time when our country is scleamiyg out fbr national
aitty;We---tetEd-hurittist todn �Inlehhifitnnal event r it th y
have -tote mythwled by'millions that yes, they are still Cana -
The daoging of the color highly upsets me because I'm a
Canadian and Ivyatnt-tosee Canadian red uniforms.
What gets inijoat Leven a"little more is the fact somebody
br a corntnittee togaer and spent many an hour and dol-
r-1at:,-len-i adtettlerr r rit1iti ebange ZoTtsls. S1fftp'ly? i'd, ,its stu-
p d.
Alright you Maple Leaf fans, settle down. Going on a win
ning streak doesn't mean you are Stanley Cup champions.
For all those out them who wear the caps and the shins.
don't get too excited. Step One for the buds is to get past
Dave Shaw and the Minnesota North Stan and then there are
the mighty Detroit Red Wings.
It's no secret I'm not a fan of the Leafs. For those of us who
will never jump on the Toronto bandwagon, we know why,
don't we?
Solving the Leafs lack of winning potential has an easy so-
lution. Take 20 players and keep them together for an entire
season. No trades, no swapping draft choices and stick with
one group of players.
Sure, they may stumble the first season, but unite and a
sense of a team concept will kick in very quickly.
An early comment made about Grant Fuhr not being worth
$1.6 million..aet me- adjust that comment. He's good, real
good, in fact the Leafs don't deserve him, but he or anybody
.else in pm sports do not deserve that kind of money.
Moms and dads, want to tell your son or daughter what to
be when they gmw up, how about an agent for a pro hockey
player.
The OHA Development League (Junior D') playoffs are
just a couple of weeks away. It will still be a while before the
matchups are determined but look once again for the Exeter
Hawks and the -Lucan Irish to go nose -to -nose in the west di-
n finale.
:1be Hawks have added goals aeon Bukela, an experienced
Junior 'B' netminder and along 1th Clint McCann should be
able to get the job done.
Hats off to Hawks manager Al Quinn and the rest of the ex-
ecutive for getting Bukela, centre John O'Hara, forward Jim
Dickins and last year's captain burly blueliner Jeff Dalrymple.
1 realize the Mitchell Hawks have been at the top of the di-
vision 211 year but I believe in a best -of -seven series, both Ex-
eter and Lucan have got more depth.
The Irish have a few flaws but it shouldn't hamper them. Al-
though they do manage to keep the puck out of the net, de-
fence is their biggest concern.
Goalie Bob Szabo is carrying the team but he can't do it all.
Discipline seems to be a factor with the Irish as well, or rather
lack of it from a few of the players.
Strong points of this team besideSzabo are veteran defence -
man Kevin Leitch and forward Greg Muir who is not always
noticed because he's not a big goal scorer.
I just hope that if, and when, the Irish and the Hawks do
meet it won't tum into a brawl like it did last year.
•
*r
•
Nog a bear
Z1.95Q$Ltp
1
Heartfelt Nvsega y
95(.2• up
TrAie love
Love 16 WI the pir
9.95v ytp
Mug o' Lorre
19.95%, uv
lel lo►ln Glowing
AI
•Vaeinut
2J0151614f
FTP Flower basket eooarttet
62-45v ye
-COUINITPY LOV/Q5
Reinsonher Rollos
1911* tip