OPENING NIGHT
Charlottetown Pride set to begin sophomore major midget season this weekend
Charlottetown’s major midget squad ready for Year 2 as Pride.
“We found a way . . . to have success in our inaugural year with high-end character and kids that wanted to work hard and wanted to be good teammates day in and day out.’’ Luke Beck
The head coach of Charlottetown’s major midget hockey team knows they won’t be able to surprise opponents this year.
But Luke Beck is also adamant the Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Pride will make it just as tough to get two points from them as their sophomore season in the New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major Midget Hockey League gets underway today in Moncton.
The Pride returns home for a game at MacLauchlan Arena on Sunday at 1:45 p.m.
“We thought last year we built a reputation of a team that was going to be hard to play against every night,’’ Beck said. “As a coaching staff, we know a lot more about the kids having spent one season with half of them on a daily basis and probably another half a dozen that were (associate players) with us last year. Kids have a little more familiarity with how we want our program to look.’’
Beck talks about how the Pride didn’t flounder in last place in its first season last year, like many new teams at any level of sports do.
The Pride opened up a 3-1 lead in the provincial final with the Kensington Wild, before the Wild won three straight to take the series.
The Pride opened camp with 42 players, which has been reduced to about 20. The roster should be finalized by the end of the weekend. Ten players from last year’s team are back.
There won’t be as many 15-year-olds on the team this season. Last year, the Pride had nine first-year kids and 11 rookies while this year the roster will boast 11 rookies, six of which will be first-year kids.
Another priority with the Pride is continuing to build the roster with high-character players, something Beck stressed last season.
“We found a way . . . to have success in our inaugural year with high-end character and kids that wanted to work hard and wanted to be good teammates day in and day out. We were happy with the success we had in our first year. We not only want to continue that but continue to improve on that and continue to make it a part of our culture.’’
Playing major midget hockey is a huge adjustment for the players. Some of these kids are also adjusting to their first year in high school.
“Some of these kids are starting Grade 10 for the first time, they’re travelling for games on a weekly basis for the first time, they’re practising two to three times a week and they’re in the gym two to three times. It’s a big commitment,’’ the coach said.
“This year, we’re going to be a little more cognizant of that and understand, trying to find a balance for the kids, both as young athletes as well as academics and being teenage boys.’’