Under Pressure

Tales from the Timebox: March 22nd, 2017

Hey! No pressure, but it’s all left up to you guys now to get us a provincial medal! I’m talking about the midget Avalanche who will be hosting the midget D provincial finals one day from now.

The tournament starts on Thursday morning right after the coaches meeting and the Avalanche play their first game Thursday night after the opening ceremonies at 7:00 pm.

The midgets had two losses this past week as against my old friends the Kitscoty Bulldogs. Losing the best of three series for the league title and bragging rights for the summer of being champions of North East Tier #2 League. It’s a rude awakening and a tough pill to swallow; especially, how well this team played all year and for myself, knowing how many battles over the years we have had with them.

Head coach Gerry Kjenner and his assistant Rodney Graus, I’m sure, have told their troops that this is not the time for doom and gloom; put that behind us now and focus on winning our games at the provincial final this coming weekend. Gerry, who won a gold medal as an assistant coach with the Elk Point Bantam Lighting back in 1995 (the only one we have by the way), has done a terrific job all year of making men out of boys.

With hard work at practise, conditioning, making them earn their spot, giving them the desire, getting the boys to buy in to the long term commitment, that, no matter what your role is you are an important part of this team. This is absolutely necessary to become winners. He knows because he also has been on many winning teams himself playing for years with the Dewberry Mustangs.

His assistant Rodney Graus has worked with these boys since way back in peewee. His wife the team manager Christine Graus works hard booking games, refs and other volunteers and has been committed all along too.

And now for the K. A. quote of the week. ‘ You have to want to win, and expect that you are going to win.’ – Martina Navratilova ‘