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Bantam rep champions 10 years in the making

Five players get try-outs with Junior A team
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Whistler Bantam rep team finished second in B.C. Photo by Andrew Mitchell

It’s no easy task to build a rep hockey team in Whistler. Like in many small towns, the limited pool of players for each age group can make it hard to put together a full house team some years, much less a more competitive rep team.

But this year the Whistler Minor Hockey League finally succeeded in putting together a rep team – one that was good enough to finish second overall in the entire province.

From March 12 to 15, the Whistler All Stars Bantam Rep team was in Lillooet, where they faced the top Bantam Rep teams from different leagues across the province. They had already won the regular season rep banner, even after being moved up three categories after blowing away their competition early in the season.

In Lillooet, the Bantams beat Golden 8-4, Revelstoke 10-3 and Lillooet 4-2 before meeting Beaver Valley in their last round robin game. They lost that game 10-8, but advanced to the playoffs.

In the semi-finals they beat Vanderhoof 4-3, before going on to face Beaver Valley once again. Whistler had the lead through the second period, but at last they started to get tired and Beaver Valley took over to win by a final score of 8-4.

The Whistler players earned a silver medal for their efforts, as well as bragging rights – it’s not that common for a community Whistler’s size to field the number two Bantam team in the entire province.

But while rare, Whistler’s success was no fluke but a culmination of circumstances that were a decade in the making.

The 2005-06 Whistler All Star Bantam Rep team began about 10 years ago when hockey dads Michael d’Artois and Brian Hurd met while their kids were just learning to skate. They started to co-coach their sons’ teams shortly afterwards, and managed to keep a core group of players together through the years.

This year’s team included that core group, as well as several players from last season’s Bantam C1 team, which went undefeated through 30 regular season and playoff games. Many of the players were also on a successful Peewee team in 2004.

"It’s really a very balanced team, from the goalies to the defence to the forwards, every player contributed in one way or another. One of our best skaters was injured with a broken hand, and others just stepped up into his role. We even had a kid who just turned 12 who was able to play with 14 and 15 year olds," said Michael d’Artois. "That’s the thing with a small community, sometimes you have to borrow a few younger kids in order to make a team, bring them up a little early."

"They play at such an elite level," added Hurd. "That’s something we realized at the provincials, there were maybe four or five other teams there that were able to play at their level.

"It was the pinnacle of our whole year and the kids really worked hard to get to that level. This was the highest level of hockey in B.C., and our small town had one of the top teams there.

"It’s such a wonderful experience, and Lillooet was so supportive, I feel sorry for other players who don’t get the chance to go to the provincials like this. I think in Canada the only other comparison is a famous midget tournament they hold in Quebec every year."

Hurd and D’Artois shared head coach duties this year, but said the biggest difference in making the provincials this year was the involvement of 23-year-old coach Joey Ewing. Ewing moved to Whistler two years ago after playing pro hockey in the WHL, MJHL, WPHL, and other systems.

For Ewing that meant 5 a.m. practices, games every weekend, and, because of the lack of available ice time, at least two dryland training sessions in the gym every week.

Ewing said he challenged the kids every chance he had, and they always rose to the occasion.

"They improved quite a lot over the season," he said. "I think I brought a lot of intensity to the hockey system here, and they responded very well. They wanted to learn, they were good listeners, and they’re good kids – they love hockey as much as I do.

"It was a big accomplishment (making the provincials), and I think the players deserve most of the credit. They wanted to be pushed, and they got pushed. They really answered the bell."

Ewing will coach the same core group of players next year as they move up to the midget level, where Whistler will once again field a rep team. The players are keen to continue practicing and dryland training through the off-season to prepare for the next level.

Ewing also helped to get five players a tryout with the Port Alberni Junior A team when he helps out with this year’s selection camp. It’s mostly for the experience, but Ewing also believes that some of his players have what it takes.

"Really, it’s a chance to go out and be seen, and have Whistler be seen as something else than a ski town," said Ewing. "For the players who do want to move on, it’s a starting point – it can’t hurt seeing what that level is like, and being seen by the coaches.

"I think there are a couple of kids who could play Junior, and play for a college in the U.S., and from there who knows?"

The five Whistler players going to the camp are Garrett Milan, Eric Smith, Ethan Fairley, Jesse Clemiss and goalie Luke Braidwood.

Other players on the team were Jesse Melamed, Will Robson, Nelson Hurd, Alexander Hosner, Keenan Nagle, Kit Browning, Simon d’Artois, Takuma Ida, Adam Marsh, Matthew Bonin and goalie Evan Mcallister.