Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1985-02-20, Page 1613 Old Deckhands reach ftt division final in Oldtimerw tourney The sixth annual Goderich Oldtimers Hockey Tournament here on the weekend featured 14 teams, including three from the USA, competing in three divisions. The Lon- don Old Sports were the whiners in the Goderieh- Elevator dikdcio Zurich. Has - beans topped the B,edford division, and the Forest Oldtimers placed first in the Signal Star division. In the top photo, Goderich Old Deckhands' goaltender Len Wilson stands ready, waiting for a faceoff in a game betWeen the Deckhands- and Utica, Michigan. At right, centre ice action during a reunion game between the 1977 World Champion Old Deckhands and the current squad. hi the lower photo, the Utica goaltender deflects a bouncing puck away from. his goal, while a Goderich player cruises in front of the net. Goderich reached the final in the Bedford division before being elfniinated by Zurich. ( photos by Patrick Raftis ) Reunion game highlights tournament A reunion game, between the 1977 World Champion Goderich Old Deckhands and the current Deckhands squad, highlighted this year's Oldtimers Hockey Tournament, held here on the weekend. The '77 squad showed they haven't lost the "Stuff of Champions" as they battled the younger squad to a 3-3 deadlock, in the game, played Saturday evening. Each team scored a goal per period in the tight contest. Ted Williams netted one of the marker. Zurich's Nob rierner, wno scoreu a goal and an assist, was named MVP in the final game. . On the way to the final, Goderich knocked off the Utica_Oldtimers, 4-1; McFrocks Old Muggers, 2-1 and tied the London Blades, 2- 2. Zurich earned a birth in the final by edg- ing the Old Muggers 3-2, topping the Blades 4-2 and doubling Utica 6-3. SIGNAL -STAR goals --for-.. the '77-tean'i; _ while. Cliff.-Mae-...-.--Forest-t-opped-the-Signal-Star--division,-by Donald scored one for the '85 version. virture of a 4-0 drubbing of the Mt. Clemens Tournament play was divided into three Brewers in the division final. Stalwart divisions, with East London Old Sports win- goaltending was a feature in this game, ning the Goderich 'Elevators division, which showcased Forest's Dan Milburn, Forest Oldtimers winning the Signal Star who earned the shutout and won MVP division and Zurich Hasbeans taking top honors and Gene Reed, of Mt. Clemens, who honors in the Bedford Arms division. was named top goaltender in the tourney. BEDFORD DIVISION Forest had no cakewalk to the finals, as they edged Gifford 5-4, beat Ripley No Stars In the Medford division, Zurich beat 4-1 did Tat a 3=1-deci in to-tlie St. Clau Goderich Old Deckhands 4-1 in the division Blues on the Way. - final, to capture the championship, while Mt. Clemens came to the final undefeated, Goderich was runnet;-up. Eric Kirk scored beating Ripley 3-1, St. Clair 5-1 and blanking the lone Goderich goal, a ttrst-period Gitiord 1-0. GODERICH ELEVATORS East London Old Sports pounded Wingham 7-3 in the Elevator division final, led by the strong play of MVP Donald Wilson, whoscored one of their goals. Len Houghton, with a goal and an assist, had a strong game for Wingham. London made a dramatic comeback in the game, as Wingham was up 3-0 in the first two minutes, on three goals scored within the space of 23 seconds. London scored only --onee-in the-first-frame,---but-hammered-in— five he-first-frame;---but-hammered...in— five unanswered goals in the second period and one in the third. This was the second tournament en- counter between the two teams, Wingham having won the first meeting 6-2. Earlier, East London beat the Point Ed- ward Panthers in. an 8-3 blowout and the Kincardine Oldtimers in a 5-2 contest. Wingham also beat Kincardine 2-1. Overall, the tournament featured some fine hockey and demonstrated that there is no need for everyone to lung up the blades • 1 •.par 111 inor li,,,,-,,,,,.....„--,, 7,,,e,..„.-ititilite...,,B„,,,,,,,,,, - jor The task of the minor hockey coach is a %paradox. The position- can be at once rewarding and thankless; exciting and ex- asperating; encouraging and dishearten- ing. As in most volunteer positions, it is im- possible to please everyone. For the minor hockey coach, it can seem impossible to please anyone. The biggest headache for most coaches, has to be the division of ice time among the players.. The ideal of minor sport is and should always be, to give everyone the same chance to play on a team. However, since hockey is a gatne where play stoppagesrdon't occur at regular intervals, it is impossible to play everyone exactly equally. As long as a coach makes an attempt to give his lines their fair share of time, it Should come out close enough to ensure no one is completely shortchanged. There have always been cases where coaches intentionally played only their best players on a regular basis. This situa- tion has improved in ,recent years, as minor hockey programs have expanded to include B teams and coaches have become more sensitive and enlightened, but isolated incidents continue. I was dismayed to learn through recent letters submitted to the SignalStar, that some people feel we have such a situation here. We received two letters, one signed by the parent of a local minor hockey player and another, Fromm an anonymous spec- tator, both complaining that players were being benched, now that playoff time has arrived. "At the start of the year, the kids are told it (lee time) will be as even as 1 can possibly make it." The complaints focused on a team at the younger level and it would indeed be a shame if these players were being sub- jected to this sort of damaging "win at all costs" attitude in their formative years. Ding Cruickshank, coach of the Goderich Signal -Star Juveniles, is definite- ly opposed to having young players sit on the •bench..When they get to Juvenile age (17-18) he wants them all to be ready to play - "At the start the the year, the kids are told it (ice time) will be as even as I can possibly make it," says Cruickshank. I also tell them the Silver Stick (tourna- ment) and the playoffs are another season and I'll go with nothing but the best. But you..know what? -When that time comes, I've got nothing but the best," says Cruickshank. Cruickshank said this year's team could not have been as successful in the Silver Stick and in, the playoffs against Strathroy, if he did not have the manpower to play "three lines in regular rotation". BrianRumig, one of the coaches of the Goderich Novice A team, said the players get equal shifts `.`regardless of the score," with no exceptions for power plays and penaltykiliing. Rumig says he did not always feel as strongly about equal ice time. Several years earlier, when coaching a Bantam A squad, he found himself with several less - skilled players, who were given limited ice time ton. `Ae point in a game, lie- 'says,"I-look- ed down the bench and saw three 14 -year- old boys'bawling their eyes out." The boys removed their equipment and left the arena between periods, telling Rumig, "We had this happen to us last year and no one is going to do it to us again." Right there, Rumig made up his mind that his coaching_ methods would change, _ puttingmore emphasis on getting the boys playing, than on winning games. Rob Jeffrey, coach of the Atom A team, says his philosophy is that through the BY PATRICK RAFTIS In some cases, Williamson says boys on his team have asked to be sat out, when the team is in danger of losing a close game. He said . at the Pee Wee level, there is "quite a difference betweerl first and second -year players". So, while some' younger players may play less this year, "next year, they'll be the boys we have to depend on". Despite the feeling of many coaches that it is all right to sit players out in situations where the outcome of the -game is in the balance, Cruickshank feels all players should be used enough to feel they have participated, win or lose. "Some coaches are good until the score is 4.4," says Cruickshank, then they go with only thier top players, he added. Unfortunately, "When you win 5-4, half the guys are happy, but half don't feel a part of it," Cruickshank says. In the course of interviewing people for this column, I came across a diversity of opinions on how to handle this tricky pro- blem. But, my own opinion remains un- changed. "Minor hockey is for the kids, not the coach," is a common expression, but one that's not completely true. Being involved can be a great experience for the coach, the parents, the players, the referees and everyone involved. But only if approached with the right attitude. I helped coach a minor hockey team in my home town for one year. For me, it was a great experience. Althought the Atom team I coached included one player in the superstar category, (he recently played on the Ontario Midget All-Star team that played the Soviet All -Stars) we seldom gave Jeff any more ice time than anyone else. ' We carried two extra players that year, and when Jeff's turn not to dress for a garne came, he sat out. Being .a level- headed kid, he accepted this without ever complaining, even though some less talented players didn't. Although capable of skating the length of the ice andscoringalmost at will, we gave - him two good linemates and encouraged him to pass the puck. All three of those boys regularly had three or more goal games, but they did it while playing no more than•the second and third line. We might have won all our games that year, playing one line for most of the game, but I'm glad we didn't. I think every playeron that team could- feel he' played a part inmevery game. The victories and the losses as well. Because of that, myself and the other two coaches all felt we had done our job. More satisfying than watching Jeff have another five -goal game, was watching the kid who skated on his ankles at the start of the season straighten them up, as the season went on. All our players improved that year- because they all played! When I played minor hockey, I did not get that kind of coaching. I was fortunate however, that I was a poor enough player that I was relegated to the B team my first few years. On the B team, we all played a lot more than the third -liners on the A teams. Consequently, by Bantam or Midget age, a _ number of second -team players, jumped r gilt onto second line positions on the A team. Meanwhile the former A team third -liners didn't make the first team, and even former second -liners were often relegated to spot duty or third line positions. "When you're a parent, you are -only concerned about one thing =-- your child. When you're a coach • regular season, each player gets "equal • and fair ice time". However, Jeffrey does make a point of telling parents at the start o1 ,tbe _seasons that in playoffs and tour- namerits, some players might not get the same ice time as others. Jeffrey says he never benches players for entire games, but in tight situations, he will go with his best in the third period. He points to a recent tournament game, against Orangeville, where with the score close going into the third frame, he decid- ' ed after consulting with his assistants, to go with his top ten players. Goderich won the game and Jeffrey felt his strategy had paid off. He insists he would not have played it this way, had the game not been important and close. "If it was a blowout, I'd send them out," said Jeffrey. Jeffrey has had objections from parents who believe their children aren't playing enough, but feels that such people are not looking at the whole picture. "When you're a parent, you are only con- cerned about one thing - your child. When you're a coach, you have to think about the whole team," he says. Getting equal ice time for all the players on a team is "next to impossible, says Lions Pee'Wee coach Dennis Williamson. Williamson holds a meeting with parents at the start of the season to explain just that. He says.he tries to keep shifts as even as possible through the year, but admits that during playoffs things change. Williamson feels the players understand this. you to a ' ou _Basically, the message is, if you're not using a player, you're ruining him for the future - something no coach has a right to do. Hopefully, one of the boys playing here in Goderich are getting so,little ice time that they are regressing. Such treatment can do emotional damage, as well as eroding a player's skill. Despite the recent complaints, I have reason to believe that the situation here, while not perfect, is not too bad. Charlie Boddy, president of the Goderich Minor Hockey Association here, in- vestigating a complaint, recently attended a game. He timed the ice time alloted each player, which although far from equal, seemed tome to be at least acceptable. However, one disgruntled parent claims that on his son's team some players are given only several brief shifts per game. "They are on just enough so the coach can say he played them in every period," said. The very fact that Boddy received cot - plaints, means that there is some work to be done and I hope it is done. Boddy, while an advocate of equal ice time as far as possible, says, "You can't argue with the coaches. They are all volunteer people." "There are no magic answers," says Buddy, "All we can do is review the situa- tion and If it's irregular, call the coach in and have a talk With him." •