BURNABY MOUNTAIN SELECTS JUNIOR ELITE - DICK'S SPORTING GOODS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS TEAM PREVIEW
(December 18, 2008)
Location: Burnaby, B.C.
Co-Head Coaches: Brent Hoskins & Jeff Cathrea
Established: 2006
Colors: Red & white
Qualified at: Fall Ball National Recruiting Tournament I
by Danielle Findley
The Burnaby Mountain Selects Junior Elite is preparing to join its program’s Senior Elite team at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions, presenting a unique challenge for its coaches as they try to split their time between both squads.
“Jeff and I operate the program as co-head coaches,” says Brent Hoskins. “We have two assistant coaches as well, so we take two ‘teams’ of coaches with us to each tournament. For us it means a lot of coaching…a lot of times it means running from one team to the next.”
While having four coaches shared between two teams seems difficult, the players think it is beneficial.
“Each one has their own specialty and their own way of coaching,” says goalie Ryan Landels (Kalamalka Secondary). “It brings a lot of different things to the table, so it’s good to have people with a variety of different coaching styles.”
The players also believe their coaching contingent can help them in the long run.
“It’s kind of nice because you get four different guys who have all gotten to that level of expertise to help us out and show us what it takes to be a university player and be at that level,” says defenseman Tristan Calve (Esquimalt H.S.).
Hoskins and fellow head coach Jeff Cathrea took the team to a number of tournaments around the United States this past year to help build chemistry and to allow the players to compete against many of North America’s top teams.
“They’ve had the opportunity to play together and compete together, so it will benefit their level of experience,” says Hoskins. “We were able to see some great teams…and it helped us identify any areas that we needed to focus on improving.”
With two teams from the Burnaby Mountain Selects program competing in the same division of the national championship, the Junior Elite team is aware that a match-up with the seniors is possible, but could be difficult to achieve.
“Ultimately we’d love for an all-Burnaby final, but we realize there’s a lot of work to be done for both teams to get to that point,” says Hoskins. “The ultimate goal for the coaching staff is to prepare each group, and while we’re in Florida, have them play to the best of their ability.”
Burnaby Mountain Selects Junior Elite will play against Greene Turtle Fells Point and Black Jacks Black in the Sequoia pool in Toyota Pool Play on the opening day of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions. Click here for the complete tournament schedule.
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