Best Recruiting Season Yet

If you were to ask coach of the Bonnyville Jr A Pontiacs, Rick Swan, what he does in the off-season, he’d probably look at you like you were nuts and respond, “what off-season?” When the snow’s off the ground, that’s when the real fun starts.

Coach Swan and associate coach, Larry Draper, have been in the office going through stats and footage from the Top Prospects Camp. The camp hosted 106 of the best young talent from all over North America, at the RJ May 26-28th. “Each kid can go to as many prospects camps as they wish,” Swan says that means more competition from the other organizations to snag the best young players. “This allows the [players] to gain as much information about the organizations, as possible; to check out facilities, compare philosophies, etc. We could have kids that have come to our camp, that have been to four or five other camps.” Which is why the Pontiacs do something truly fascinating; the Pontiacs are the only club in the Alberta Junior A Hockey League that requires its returning veterans to skate in the Spring Top Prospects Camp.

All we can guarantee is an opportunity . – Rick Swan Head Coach of the Bonnyville Jr A Pontiacs

“When they do make that decision for fall camp, they can only pick one. Just because we’ve invited a kid to our main camp, we may be competing against three or four other teams that have invited that kid to camp. We’re really put on stage.” Swan explains the organization needs to leave a lasting impression on these players; but at the same time ensure the current roster can play with them. An added bonus is the veterans are able to field questions from these players. If you really want to know what it’s like on the bench, the philosophy of the team, then who better to ask than someone who’s played, says Swan.

Our philosophy is: we have to have intention, purpose, and meaning to everything we do. – Rick Swan Head Coach Bonnyville Jr A Pontiacs

in the spring-summer months the coaching stuff will get together with their entire scouting staff to discuss key Pontiac goals and objective, says the coach. Ensuring everyone is still united on the club’s philosophy is important and it shows in they performance the Pontaics have put forward. “This was one of the best camps we’ve ever had. The feedback was amazing and humbling. We want to do things right and when people reach out to you and tell you that they’ve attended other camps and there’s no comparison in what our camp brought them; in terms of value and benefit.”

It meant something to be a part of our camp and players walked away feeling privileged to be a part of it. – Rick Swan Head Coach Bonnyville Jr A Pontaics

“Our veterans were exceptional, and that’s where most of the feedback comes from. Our guys are enthused and contagious about being a Bonnyville Pontiac!” Now just because you had a spot on the squad in the past, doesn’t mean your locker is automatically waiting for you in the fall. Coach Swan says every kid, veteran or new, must try out in the fall. “We know we have some exceptional kids that are returning, those are high-end just to being with.”

“I’m impressed with what our fall will look like, we’re optimistic about what we have returning and what we could have coming in.” Swan says recruiting has been going very well, “we have kids from a New England Prep School coming in, that are high-end, that maybe we would’ve lost those kids to the Brooke’s Bandits or BC Hockey League, but they’re coming to Bonnyville. We’re bringing in a goaltender that was the most highly sought after 18 year old in the entire country. He’s from Quebec and he’s coming to Bonnyville.”

Every time Larry & I see a piece of wood we’re knocking on it that it’ll all turn out. – Rick Swan Head Coach Bonnyville Jr A Pontiacs

“In terms of a recruiting standpoint, to put things in perspective, as good as we were last year, this year expects to be better,” with a record-setting year last season, that’s a big promise coming from the coach.