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Another year of minor hockey in M.L. just around the corner

Sep 1, 2016 | 11:29 AM

As winter draws nearer, so do the sports which make the season so great.

Canada’s favourite sport, hockey, is just around the corner and more than 240 kids have signed up to play in Meadow Lake.

Dozens of minor hockey players have gone on to play junior and even professional hockey. Some of those players, like DJ and Dwight King, Zane and Collin Morin and Leonard Esau have since moved back home and regularly help out with the minor hockey association.

Association President, Richard Temple said it’s people like the Kings, Morins and Esau who make hockey so successful in Meadow Lake. Temple joked there may be more to it than that though.

“The work ethic of the kids, the coaches and volunteers for sure… maybe something in the water,” he said with a laugh.

Last season, the novice monarchs, and midget females won their league while the AA midget club lost to the eventual champs in Humboldt.

While some key players have graduated out of minor hockey, Temple said he’s hoping this season will be just as successful as last year.

Standout midget player, Dylan Esau was drafted by the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL’s bantam draft and later by the SJHL’s Batteford North Stars.

Before the season officially starts, players hit the ice for pre-practices beginning Sept. 12. After two or three weeks of training, coaches pick teams. Temple said the only team which holds official try-outs is the AA midget club which includes players from out of town.

The AA midget club plays in a league against teams from Saskatoon, Prince Albert and North Battleford.  Meadow Lake’s other teams play in nearer communities like St. Walburg, Edam and Paradise Hill.  

Tryouts for the AA midget team are scheduled for Sept. 24 and 25.

 

Colton Swiderski is meadowlakeNOW’s municipal affairs, crime and court, health and education reporter. He can be reached at cswiderski@jpbg.ca or tweet him @coltonswiderski.