For
the Atom Major AA Phi Dental Care Soo Jr Greyhounds, the primary focus of this
season is not to win games, banners or tournaments, but to bring the skill
level of seventeen 10 yr. old boys to the next level. To do this, it takes a
lot of effort from not only the boys but their families as well.
With less than 2 weeks left in 2017, let's look back on how the Phi Dental Care Soo Jr Greyhounds have progressed so far this season.
Skill development; skating, shooting and team play does not happen overnight. The coaching staff spends hours developing the practice plans that are all designed with a purpose and is the road map for success. Currently, they will have 51 practices in the first half of the season and the hard work the boys put into these practices are starting to reflect in the games they play. As the season has progressed, the coaches have started teaching hockey IQ as part of the development plan to help the team reach that next level. It is important to have the skill but it is also more important to know why they do it and how to use it.
For the 2017-2018 season, the Jr Hounds joined the Nickel District Minor Hockey League where they battle against Atom Major Copper Cliff AA, Nickel City Sons AA, Sudbury Jr Wolves AA and 2 Pee Wee Minor A teams, the Canucks and Jets. They will also have cross over games against the Pee Wee Minor AA Soo Jr Greyhounds as a part of their schedule. The boys have just finished their last games of 2017 and are heading into the New Year with 11-0-0 record in league play. They have outscored their competition 64 GF and 16 GA in 11 games, good enough to sit first in their division.
In tournament action, the Jr Hounds have turned heads and were the talk of the tournaments they attended. They have traveled to Kitchener, London and Sudbury in 2017. They have had some learning experiences throughout these tournaments; where you cannot take any team for granted and you must work for 3+ periods if you want to win a championship. They lost in the Quarter Finals in Kitchener, Semi Finals in London and in overtime in Sudbury's Regional Silver Stick Qualifier in the Finals. These were all hard loses to take because the team knew that they were good enough to win. After the Sudbury Tournament, the Phi Dental Care Soo Jr Greyhounds were invited to play in the Silver Sticks International Tournament in Sarina in the AAA division. This will be the true test for the team to see where they stand with the best AAA teams in North America. It will be a great opportunity to learn, be challenged and elevate their game to the next level!
In 2018, the hard work doesn't stop and it is only going to get more intense as they follow the path to the OHF Championship. The team will start 2018 in Sarnia in the Silver Sticks International Tournament in January, NOHA in Timmins in March as well of the remainder of league play and playoffs in Sudbury. If the Jr Hounds win the NOHA's they will have reached their end goal of OHF's in April where they will meet up with the best Atom Major AA teams in the Province in North Bay.
As always, sit tight and stay connected because 2018 is shaping up to have a great ending for the Atom Major AA Phi Dental Care Soo Jr Greyhounds season.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the coaching staff and players of your Phi Dental Care Soo Jr Greyhounds!