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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1997-07-23, Page 16.ei SPORTS Tines -Advocate, icily 23 1997 1 ±'t' 15 Bell getting his chance to make some Jr. A noise By Craig Bradford T -A Reporter HENSALL - Mark Bell hopes the Hull Jr. A Olympiques coaches like what they see (and hear) on Aug. 22. That's :When Bell, 18, .gets his chance to make it into the Quebec Jr. A league_ with a tryout arranged by his .Strathroy Jr. B Rockets coach, Pat Stapleton, who knows Olympicjues general manager Char- • lie Henry. - Bell, a big partbf the Exeter Jr. D Hawks '95-96 Ontario charnpipn- ship team and the Rockets' assist- ant .captain during their '96-97 Western Jr. B championship sea- son, is a stay-at-home type of de= 'fenceman with the occasional of- fensive streak as his '96-97 stats Show 51 games, 11 goals, 19 as- sists and 24 penalty minutes. "I think 1 have a fairly good shot at (making it)," Bell said. • But those low PIMs and his com- paratively small size at 5'11" (and a half) and 215• lbs. .might make some scouts wonder if he's up to the physical challenge of Jr. A. "I'll probably. have to play a little bit tougher," Bell said,with a shrug. "I've got some strength in me. That's now I make up for it." . Also going for Bell is the fact the Olympique are going' into a re- building year with 15 players grad- uating to the pro ranks. His ultimate goal is making -it to the'NHL,'and his chances are good considering the league will expand by four teams by the time he's done his Jr. A stint. - "If I make it (on the Olympiques) ,this year I stillhave three years to• Play (at Jr_ A)." he said. "That will give (NHL scouts) • a - good look at me." Bell wants to pick up an •university ed- • ucation along the way — he hopes to be- comc a civil engineer some day. "It kind of depends on 'how hockey .goes." he• said about his outside of hockey ca- reer path. . To Make it this far; Bell,has had lots of help from people like Exeter. Hawks coaches 'Dave Revington, Barry Baynham and Jeff Dal - "I have good (makir A future Captain Kirk? Hensall to the NHL like his hero, Kirk M last year and a former Exeter Jr. the Hull Jr. A Oiympiques on Aug 's Mark Bell hopes to_ make ,it utter.A Strathroy Jr. B Rocket D Hawk, Bell has a Tryout with, .•22. "He always inspired the by his style and level of play." he said. "He inspires people to play at their best." Bell's dad. Bill,, not only gave Bell his strong work ethic, but also_hislove of. the- :Montreal •Ca- 'nadiens.-The younger - Bell's bedroom. has plenty of hockey- me- morabilia. - including - his Ontario champion- ship Exeter Jr. D Hawks and Strath- roy Rockets Western Jr. B cham- pionship ('96-97) jerseys, but the one hanging above' his bed belongs •to his favorite player of, all time. Kirk Muller. "I hung that up the day he was traded." Bell said. The jersey, bears the Canadiens' colors, though the then 'Captain Kirk' has had a few more stops since including ++ith think I a fairly shot at ig it)." rymple.. Outgoing Hawks captain- Jason McBride has also served. as a role model for Bell. • ' New Jersey -and Torainto. When not playing.hockcy: Bell probably playing soccer. either 'with Exeter's under 19 men's team or during high school -• Bell was a member of Strathroy,Di,trict Col- legiate Institute's OFSAA'Alk. championship team. - -Right nevi Bell's focussing -on hi, OI)mpiques strength conditioning program. his job at Exeter'S'Na- Kisco plant where he does odd jobs and with his assistant post at Sta pleton's hockey school that will tiavel throughoutthe.province start- ing July 2)3. Both mom, .Bev. and dad are proud Of their athletic son. ''tie=s 'been our winter = and. suititncr - entertainment for sogie years." Bev beamed, - "1. hope he gets an education. Bill added.- ' 'What he ;accomplishes... is all up to him.'' Jr. D Hawks in retooling mode EXETER - Too hot to think hockey? Not for Exeter Jr. D Hawks president Tom McCann and his coaching staff. McCann and general manager/head coach Dave Revington are busy setting the '97-98 schedule, scouting talent and send- ing out invitations to camp which begins Sept. 3. McCann said Revington is returning as head honcho on the bench. He'll be joined by returning assistant coach Barry Bayn- ham and newcomer Dean Schram who'll also help Reving- ton with his G.M. duties. Former assistant coach Jeff Dalrymple remains a Hawks director but is taking a leave of absence from behind the bench to see to his and wife Cassle's more Im- portant project -- taking care of their second child due Sept. 4. On the Ice there will bo .13 returning players. "We're going to lose a number of our top scorers," McCann said, Forward Chris Kennedy and defence- man/captain Jason McBride are overage and have left the fold. McCann sold they must choose two of these five overagers to remain with the team: forwards Sean "We're to num 0 sco McCann and Nathan Bums, goalies Darren Kintz and Rob MacDonald and defence - man Greg Goodman. "That is going to be tough," McCann said. Expected to fill the leadership roles are forwards Chris McDonald and Jeff Glavin, though Glavin may choose to go to Brock University instead. Retuming behind the blue -tine are Dan Taylor and Bill Hodge. Dave Farqhuar and Geoff Mayer have graduated from midget and are expected to make the team. Another questionable is Craig Corriveau who also may make the jump to college. Though he's shooting for a re- peat of their division -winning per- formance in '96-97, McCann said the Hawks won't be as dominant this season. "We potentially have a good nucleus : coming back," McCann said. "There Is a certain amount of rebuilding, though. The boys (coaching staff) are scouring the back roads for some talent." Revington said it will be more of a re- tooling year than a rebuilding one. "We have to replace a few key people, that's for sure," he said. The season starts tentatively on Sept. 28. going lose a ber of ur top rers." Von, Conroy and No Fences set to rock the Motorplex . GRAND BEND - The Grand Bend Motorplex will be a whole lot . country this Civic Weekend. Country singers Patricia Conroy and Judy Von will are the main at- tractions at the Civic Holiday Weekend Open Air Country Con- cert sponsored by BX93 and CKTY AM 1110. Conroy received the '93 Ca- nadian Country Music Albitm .of the Year Award and the '94 CCMA Female Vocalist of the year. Von, born in Parkhill, has opened for ' Chris Cummings, Tammy Wynette and Billy Ray Cyrus. Conroy and Von will be joined by the Garth Brooks tribute band �o Fences. Dragster action begins at 6 p.m., -Aug. 2 with. the Funny Car Fox Hunt including 213 mph fuel Hat- leys ridden by John Russell and Mike Romine and jet and alcohol funny cars featuring Pat Davidson and Jerry Roling. On Sunday, the Hot Street -Car Shootout featuring Mike Moran's world's fastest street car begins at.1 p.m. Gates open for the country concert at 7 p.m., Aug. 3. • Advance tickets for the concert cost $15 for adults and S2 for chil- dren age 6-12, available at all Tick- et Master Locations or by calling 238 -RACE (7223). Tickets at the gate cost $18 for adults. Saturday race admission costs $20 for adults, $2 for children; Sun: day race costs $IS for adults, S2 for children age 6-12; race and con- cen admission costs S25/adults, S2 for children; all weekend race and concert cost is S45. Pony moves Gaming fun. Brookehaven Farms (Clandeboye) stu- dents had fun and per- formed well at the recent Gymkhana (game show). there. Top photo, left to right: Michelle Malek (on Firelight), Sandra Gregus (Michael Bear), Steven Gregus (Judy), Cindy Gee- gus (Belle), Katie Veinot (Magic Dragon), Brittany `Veinot (Chico) and Scott Gregus (Champ). Bottom photo: Brittany Veinot on Chico performs the Five Flag Race. The show wad open to junior riders on ponies 14.2 hands tall and under. - Irish solid going into .LC'CAN - The Lucan Jr. D Irish hickey team hopes to build on Last season's second place finish and has few Niles to till going,into the -season. - • Irish -manager Ken Freeman said most of last year's squad should be returning to the fold.thts year. I think e+ery year is, a rebuilding year but three quarters of our team - is coming hack." he said. "\\'e .should be fairly good.'. . The Irish will have .to till centre Scott Thompson'. spot atter he was dratted by the. Ontario• Hickey League's London Knights. And Lu - can Can only keep two of their ti+e overage players --- centre Robb. wingers Stege Hudson. and - Janiie Lightfoot. defencetgan Brad !ienderson . curd goalie_ Nathan \Iaudtley. One notable' returnee is defence- . - ntan Jeremy Law[xiurn, Freeman said. and there's a good erop of graduate midgets to..choose from including defencenian • Pat Conlon and forwards Ryan -.Carroll and ('had Greenlee. Co -coaches Jason Bukala and Bill. Bourne will be hack on the bench providing stability. Freeman said the league is mos - •-ing=awayLfiontTits two year inter-- lock experiment and is going with a 40 -game , more dh'. inion -based -schedule. Lucan will play each team in its Moretti Division tEsct- er; Parkhill. Mitchell and Seatorth) Live tithes and Thomas Division ri •vats (Belmont. Lambeth, Mount Brydges, Port Stanley and Tha mesford) four times. two at home and two away. • RFGI'l •\R & R \I'll) hl •\(•K \( K Gables In the Bend S Main St. Grand Bend t ` I FREE PARKING FEATURING HOLD -EM POKER MINISTRY RULES 24 Hour Casino Hot Line (519) 752.6325 B.j. GAMES INC. Proceeds to Canadian Diabetes Assoc. Lie. *P973803 Rl t, t. 1 \R R \I'II► I;I \t k 1 \l '97-98 Freeman said the league - drop- ping intertoek play :because .'t all the travel involved and because it failed to eenerate f?iegercrowds in games' 'ersus teams such as Lang- ton. Hagersvtl!e and St. George. Lucan begins tfaining .'camp on .dug. 25. . E. M. H. A. CORRECTION Girls Hockey Registration Extended - open to all Phone; 235.1)581 1 Hensall Minor Hockey Registration and Coach Sign Up August 16 Lobby of Hensall Arena 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We -are now offering Pretyke • Bantam Also: 2 levels of girls hockey. Don't get caught sitting on the bench this year. Come join our teams. 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