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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1983-09-07, Page 39,H< 1.35 YEAR, 38 GODERICII SIGNAL STAR, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1983 sgoomisEcnoN NHL players, coaches praise Hockey School BY ANNE NAREJKO Chicago Back Hawks' Al Secord claims, "it turned my career around." Ted Sator, assistant coach for the Philadelphia Flyers feels that it is "the most progressive hockey school in North America." The "it" that these men are referring to is the Huron Hockey School held at Huron Park, just outside of Exeter. What, might you say, is Al Secord, who scored 54 goals last season, doing at a hockey school? One week during the summer, the Huron Hockey School holds a school for the N H L players to which almost every team in the league sends players. This year there were a total of 54 professional hockey players taking part in the program. The Hockey School was started at Huron Park 13 years ago by Ron Mason, Bill Mahoney and Brian Gilmour. Mason is a native of Seaforth and is now the head coach at Michigan State University. Mahoney is now the new coach for the Minnesota North Stars, and Brian Gilmore is the principal of St. Lawrence High School. Their objective was to teach the boys skating skills and give them basic hockey instruction. They hold the school five weeks during the summer for hockey players from North America and Europe. The little school soon grew and has now expanded into 13 day schools across Canada. It is now the largest hockey school in Ontario and among the top schools in the United States. Eight -years ago, they added a new dimension to the school. A week for players from the N H L. "The first year we had only five players, this year we have close to 55," commented Gilmour on the growth of that particular program. They teach these players how to improve their skills, conditioning, flexibility, speed, endurance, strength and skating. "We all know how to skate because we have been taught all our lives, but if someone asked us how we skated, we couldn't tell them," explained Al Secord, who is back at the school for his fifth year. "What they have done is break the game down for us." For the younger players, who have recently been drafted, this gives them their first taste of N H L action and what training camp has in store for them. This year there were three first round picks at the camp. Bobby Dollas was the highest ranked defenseman in Junior Hockey and waa picked by the Winnipeg Jets. David Gagner was picked by the New York Rangers and David Shaw, an Exetejr native, was picked by the Quebec Nor- diques. A day for the players consists of 1% hours of skating and shooting drills on the ice which is video taped. After they are done on the ice, they go to a lecture room where they watch the films and analyse their performances. In the afternoon they go back on the ice to practise their skating and puck control, doing drills similar to a practise. They are also instructed to lift weights, and on Wednesday, they played soccer with a medicine -ball to strengthen their leg muscles. During the evening on Tuesday, Wed- nesday and Thursday, the players were divided into three teams to play round- robin tournaments. Ted Sator feels these ',scrimmages are worth -while. "They're not based on who wins or loses, but to see how well the players use the skills they have learned during the day," he explained. This year Sator's Flyers sent four players to the school to work on the "technology of skating." "During regular season we just have too many games to do this," commented Sator. Don MacAdam, who has coached at the University of New Brunswick Hockey School, Summerside in P.E.I., New Brunswick Provincial League Camp for Bantams and Midgets, and a school in Regina, was also at the Huron School. He has been offered an assistant coaching job with the St. Louis Blues, but at the time of this article, he had not decided whether to take the job or not. MacAdam explains that "weleaiell younger players the same skills ashe professionals, just we go into more of the finer points and technical information with the NHL players." MacAdam, who has also coached in Europe, compared European hockey to our hockey. "The environment the players are brought up in is different. They are taught more extensively with a variety of skills. The coaching is also different. In Europe coaching is a professional position. They have to get a certificate at all levels of hoceky in order to be a coach, in Holland they have sports schools where they train people to become coaches," he explained. MacAdam also feels that the Europeans don't dwell as much on winning or losing, but on the skills that are attained. Al Secord feels that Huron Hockey School and its training, turned his career around and that's the reason he keeps , coming back. "The way I was playing hockey was mediocre, so my agent sent me here. The program here is excellent because it gets me ready both mentally and physically," said Secord. During the year, Secord takes the workouts and activities and incorporates them into his own program. He likes the camp because he can prove to himself what kind of shape he is in. For 19 -year-old David Shaw, this really was his first taste of what goes on in the "big leagues." The Exeter native started playing hockey when he was seven -years -old in his home town. He played Junior B in Strat- ford and then Junior A with the Kitchener Rangers. This year he was the first round pick of the Quebec Nordiques. Shaw, who plays defense, is quite pleased to be drafted to the NHL. "I had hopes of playing in the NHL when I was younger, but then I thought it would be almost impossible until I was playing Junior B and Junior A," commented Shaw. Quebec sent him to the Huron Hockey School so he could improve his skating, and he finds he's working hard. "What we try to do here is help every player (amateur or professional) reach their potential," said Gilmour of the hockey schools auras. m.4111`0101011t the years, 138 pluye ,sin the NHL' harve gone through the program -at - the Huron Hockey School. Al Secord feels that this year is the best year ever. "They have learned what needs to be taught and how to put a point across." If a guy who scores 54 goals keeps coming back because it prepares him for the season, they must be doing something right. David Shaw, of Exeter, was the first round pick for the Quebec Nordiques. Above, he con- centrates during an on -ice workout at the Huron Hockey School. To the right, Ted Sator, assistant coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, (person without helmet), coaches one of the sessions at the school. ( photos by Anne Narejko ) Expressionless is Verna Kane as she tees -off on the first hole during the Sunset Ladies' Invitational. The weather was a little hot, but still ideal for golfing. ( photo by Anne Narejko) Ladies' Invitational held under ideal conditions Sunset Golf Club hosted their annual Ladies' Invitational Tournament last Wednesday and were blessed with nice weather and a great turn -out. The day proved' to be a smashing success. The low gross winner of the day was Vera Weiss from Owen Sound. She shot an 82 to receive the Maurice Gardiner Real Estate Trophy. The low net winner was Liz Thomas also of Owen Sound who received the'Sheila`Fhik Trophy. . .. Rosemary Armstrong was the closest to the'pin winner. Other Sunset winners were; in first flight, Della Bedard; second flight, Mary Lynne Telford, Rosemary Armstrong, Joan McDougall, Shirley Baechler and Eileen Howey; third flight, Marj Smith, Chris Reeve and Marilyn Graham. Marilyn Graham had the least number of putts for the day. The results of Thursday's Ladies' night are as follows; first flight, Dorothy Bourdeau and Joyce Bolton; second flight, Marj Smith and Chris Reeve; third flight, Dorothy Bogie, Darlene Crawford and Ruth Bushell; fourth flight, Betty Fuller and Joan Barrie. On the holiday Monday, Sunset held its bi-monthly mixed two -ball. The winners were; Rick Turner and Shirley Baechler, Dave MacAdana and Marilyn Graham and • Cord Bert and Dorthy Bourdeau. The final two -ball will be held September • 11 at 1 p.m. A hot meal will be prepared and all who have played the required nett ibex' of'gam s vvi"1l b+eetle:ar the. Last Tuesday was Men's Night. Tony Bedard was the low gross winner while Gary Chambers won low net. On first flight Bob McDougall, Don Armstrong and Marcel Richard won. Pat Conlon, Bob Dempsey and George Bolton won on second flight. Third flight winners were Art Bourdeau, George Williai'ns and Ron Harris. The Men's Championship was played off on Saturday with Brian Reeve and Tom Moore playing 36 holes of golf. It was quite an even match as the winner was not decided until the final hole. Tom Moore is the Men's Club champion for 1983. Three teams eliminated from fastball playoffs Three teams have been eliminated from the playoffs in the Goderich Industrial League and three teams have moved into the semi-finals. Lakeport Ad. wrapped up their 'eries with Denomme's, sweeping the three game series. Lakeport won game three by a 3-2 score with Simon Langlois doubling home Greg Hansen with the winning run in the seventh inning. Langlois and Al Sygrove had two hits apiece for Lakeport while Willie Denomme had two for Denomme's. Lakeport will now face Kirkey's in the semi-finals. Kirkey's downed Canada Company three games to one. C.C. evened the series with a 4-0 victory in game two. Dean Doherty fired a four -hitter. John O'Keefe led all hitters with two hits. Kirkey's came back the next night and regained the series lead with a 7-0 win. It was Terry Johnston's turn to pitch a four - hit shutout. Paul Bartliff led offensively with three triples. Kirkey's then clinched the series with an 8-5 triumph. Kirkey's took an early 6-0 lead Turn to page 3A • W.O.A.A. playoffs Peewees lose and then regain lead in Kincardine The Goderich Legion Pee Wees are leading Kincardine in their best three out of five series in the W.O.A.A. playoffs, two games to one. After taking a one game lead, Goderich came home only to lose the second game 13-5. Kincardine took an early 2-1 lead in the first inning, but Goderich came back to score two runs in the second while Kin- cardine scored one, tying the game. The third inning was prosperous for Kincardine as they scored another two runs.For Goderich it was three up and three down. Kincardine bats were hot again in the fourth as they added three runs to their total, and Goderich couldn't get on base. However, their luck seemed to be changing when they held Kincardine to two runs and then scored two runs themselves, but that was all the scoring Goderich would do for the evening, making the final score 13-5. On Tuesday it was back to Kincardine where Goderich regained a one game lead by defeating the home team 8-7. Lead-off batter Scott Garrow walked, stole second and third, and then scored on a passed ball. Kincardine's R. Nurton repeated Garrow's walk and stolen bases, but scored on Greg Tanner's triple, who then scored on M. Burton's double. The top of the second saw hot hitting for Goderich as Brian Lane, Greg Alcock and Garrow were walked, loading the bases. Andy Orr then slammed a triple to clear the bases, and Byron Bowman hit a homerun, giving Goderich a 6-0 lead. Kincardine scored three runs in the third to Goderich's one, closing the gap to a two run lead for Goderich, Tanner hit a double for Kincardine which scored two more runs for his team tying the game at 7 all heading into the sixth inning. Orr hit a single, stole second and reached third on a/passed ball, eventually scoring on a hard ground ball hit to the second baseman, giving Goderich the win. Both teams stuck with their starting. pitchers, who were Garrow for Goderich and Tanner for Kincardine. 404"; During Mond,.:y night's Pee Wee Legion playoff game in the W.O.A.A., a Kincardine player slides into third, only to be called out by the umpire. Kincardine managed to tie the series at one game a piece on Monday, but Goderich defeated them in Kincardine on Tuesday to regain the lead, two games to one. The series is a best of five, with both teams giving it their all in order to stay alive in the playoffs. Kincardine won the game on Monday with a 13-5 score, and Goderich won Tuesday's game by a close score of 8-7. ( photos by Anne Narejko)