Here's our boys gold team!!

Presenting our boys gold team!! Thanks, Mr. Setnyk, for this awesome photo!

Training on a beautiful fall day

Every day, all of the players on all of the teams participate in off-ice training. This may include strength training, stretching, endurance, drills... But it's always a little nicer when they can do these things outside!
We have a track around and to the east of the gym building where the players can stretch their legs (which is what they are doing in these photos).

When the sub-zero temperatures arrive, an outdoor rink will be set up for work and play. A quintessential Canadian experience :)

Catherine Tufts named to U18 Atlantic female team

Catherine Tufts has been named to the U18 Atlantic female team! Way to go! You can read about it here in the Yarmouth County Vanguard (picture comes from their website).

A couple photos from the Girls Gold vs UNH game

Here are a couple photos taken by Kim Lascelle at the UNH game. Thanks very much! Hope the girls had a great time.

Boys Gold glide over CIHA

What a pleasure to watch the Boys Gold last night as they battled CIHA for a 3 to 1 victory. Nice passing, good energy. Thanks guys for working so hard.

It is also so nice to watch a game in the Benson Centre. Anyone who played with us last year can tell you about the Si Miller and the Bob Turner arenas where they spent a lot of practice and game time. Those rinks had a lot of history and an old-time feel. But as a spectator, they were freezing cold and not very comfortable.

Girls Gold headed to University of New Hampshire

The Girls Gold team is headed down to the University of New Hampshire this weekend. They will get to take a look at the campus. And then they will play against the school's team.

They will also get to say a big "hello" to two of our alums, Caroline "Brody" Broderick and Jenna Lascelle (yes, of the Cornwall/OHA Lascelle's) who are playing their first year with UNH.

Good luck, OHA Girls Gold (and Brody and Jenna, too)!


Postscript: The final score of the game against UNH was 6-1 in favor of UNH. You can read about the game here.

Whistle while you work

At OHA, you will see something new every day. On Friday, it was Dr. Tim sewing the C's and A's onto the jerseys. As I mentioned in an earlier post, we all end up doing odd jobs as they arise.

Nice work, Dr. Tim. If the letters fall off, we know who to blame :)

Meet Coach Luke Beck

Coach Luke Beck returned to OHA this fall for his second year with the Mavericks. He is coaching our Boys Major Midget A team, and is also a dorm parent. Here are a few words from Coach Luke...

Where were you before OHA?

SUNY Potsdam, where I majored in business administration. I was then an assistant coach at the junior A level with a team in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

Hockey background?

I Played at SUNY, then had four years of Junior A in Charlottetown.

And why did you come to OHA?

To pursue a career in coaching.

What is your philosophy on the ice?

Work hard. As hard as you can every time you are on the ice. Respect your teammates.

What is your philosophy in the gym?

Same as on the ice.

What are your impressions of OHA 2011/12 so far?

Good. I am excited about my team. There is lots of work to do. We got a really good group of kids for all of the teams.

Thanks, Coach Luke. We are lucky to have you here with us. Good luck for 2011/12!

Boys white beat CIHA in exhibition

Last night at the Civic Complex was a fantastic game between boys white and CIHA. The boys played so well, and had more than a couple moments of real magic. It will be exciting to see what happens with this team as the season continues and they spend more and more time on the ice together. The final score was 4 to 2 in favor of OHA. It felt good to win one with such style so early in the season.

I also want to mention that the fan support was great. There were lots of parents ringside, along with many kids from our other boys and girls teams. Here are some pictures...

PS - Please forgive the blurriness. I pulled a total rookie move and forgot to charge the batteries for my nice camera. Instead, I had to use my back-up purse camera (which used to take much nicer pictures until after an apple juice accident).

Maroon's first road trip (Union College)

The Mavericks girls maroon team traveled to Union College for their first road trip. Trainer Saarah Jasim (also our chemistry and civics teacher) took some great photos which are featured here (thanks Ms. J!).

Tournaments involve hockey, of course. But they also mean time in the bus, time in the hotel... I am glad to have these photos that show some of this.

The results of the tournament can be seen here. In the end, they came home with two ties and two losses. Not a bad way to start.

Tonight the Girls Maroon team will be at Carleton U playing the Ottawa Ice Cats. Go get 'em!

A little sewing

Being a small school, the staff is often called upon to do things that might not at first seem like a part of their job description. Last minute assembly of 50 turkey wraps? No problem. Jump starting a bus at -20 degrees? Sure.

Well, it was in this spirit that I acquired my latest task.

"How do you feel about sewing some jerseys?" asked Dr. Tim.

"I can do it," I replied, not really sure that I knew how. "When do you need them?"

"Sunday," he said with a smile as he ran out of my work office door.

Yesterday evening, Dr. Tim came home with a stack of eighteen jerseys.

"That's not 'some'", I said.

"Well, it's the whole team", said Tim, now running out of my home office.

"Sunday, right?", I asked.

"No, Friday," says Dr. Tim.

"Friday?," I moan.

"Well, the game is Friday, and whatever you don't finish I will bring home again and you can have them done for Sunday," says Dr. Tim.

Hmmmm.... well I'm happy to help the team, and maybe the slightly crooked name labels will bring them luck for the 2011/12 season :)

Boys maroon takes on Massena