Liam Alcalde spent his grade 11 year here with us in Cornwall.
And next year...
He will play for the Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL!! Congratulations Liam!!
And thanks for saying nice things about OHA :) We loved having you here.
Here is the text from an article on HockeyScene.com:
LACHINE, QC, June 20, 2012 - Liam Alcalde, selected in the sixth round
by the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
(QMJHL) during the league’s recent entry draft, credits his coach at the
Ontario Hockey Academy, Luke Beck of Charlottetown, for the evolution
to his game.
“I learned discipline because he was tough when he
needed to be helping me get the right attitude and frame of mind on the
ice,” said Alcalde. “He’s the reason I started scoring by learning to
go to the dirty areas of the ice and I have him to thank for that.”
Beck,
who played four seasons with the Charlottetown Abbies in the Maritime
Junior Hockey League before playing three seasons while studying at
State University of New York in Potsdam, just finished his second season
at OHA. He went there to get started in coaching. He also teaches at
the school which places heavy emphasis on education as well as hockey
development.
He says his philosophy is, "work hard. As hard as you can every time you are on the ice. Respect your teammates."
Last
season, Alcalde was cut from the Midget AAA Lac St. Louis Lions and
instead of playing Midget AA hockey; he decided it would be a better
move for him to play in the Ontario East Minor Hockey Association. With
the OHA Gold Mavericks, he finished with 25 goals and 20 assists,
ranking him fourth in league scoring. His play also translated to team
success as the Gold Mavericks won their league, sweeping the playoffs.
“Well
the only way I could play Midget AAA was if I were to go to Ontario
and I really wanted to go there because I felt as though that league
really catered to my style of hockey so in the end it was the right
move,” said Alcalde.
“It was a really good feeling obviously to
be drafted,” Alcalde said of his selection by the Mooseheads. “But at
the same time it was such a long day and I was happy when it was all
over.”
A natural athlete, the 6-foot 200 pound forward adapted to
hockey quickly. Originally from Montreal, the family moved to Kansas
when Alcalde was only three-years-old. They moved back when he was 10
and only then did he begin playing hockey, starting behind the eight
ball playing against kids who had six to seven more years of experience
than him.
“I wasn’t very good at the start for the first couple years, but I picked it up eventually,” said Alcalde.
He
also plays baseball for the Lachine A’s, although training camp for the
Halifax Mooseheads opens in mid-August which will cut his baseball
season short.
“I’m going there hoping to make the team,” said
Alcalde. “I have to go there, not be afraid of anyone and just play my
game. If I do things the right way hopefully everything will work out.”
The
former Dollard Viper is trying to make a team that is seen as a rising
club in the QMJHL with three players projected to go in the first round
of the NHL Entry Draft next year. The Mooseheads were semifinalists in
the 17 team league last season and are expected to be a contender for
the league title in 2012-13
“It’s a great opportunity because I
know they’re a good team, really good and down the road might even have a
chance to play in a Memorial Cup,” said Alcalde.
- with files from Mitch Gallo, The Suburban www.thesuburban.com
You can go to the original article by clicking here
