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Hornets rookie game gives hopefuls a chance to shine

July 25, 2013   ·   0 Comments

Finding a spot on the Alliston Junior C Hockey Club roster takes talent, hard work, and the ability to  impress the coaching staff with what you are capable of on the ice.

A total of 41 players took part in the Hornets ‘Ernie Dean Green and Gold’ rookie game on Monday, July 15, at the New Tecumseth Recreation Complex in Alliston.

Most of the players had attended the recent rookie camp sponsored by the club.

“The purpose of tonight’s game is to evaluate the players for movement into the main camp where we do our evaluations to create the roster,” said Hornets head coach Ed Garinger.

Garinger is also new to the Hornets organization having made the move from the Midland Flyers at the end of the 2013 season to replace Sandy McCarthy who left the Alliston squad to lead the Caledon  Golden Hawks.

There was a bevy of Hornets executive watching and evaluating the game including former head coach Darrin Shannon who is still associated with the team and still puts in time on the bench, as well as assistant coaches and management staff.

“We’ll talk as a coaching and management staff in terms of who we’d like to take through and numbers,” Garinger said. “In main camp we’ll have around 20 rookies left. We’ll have 20 players on the roster at the start of the season.”

Being a rookie on any squad can be an intimidating experience but Garinger stressed that no one, not even last year’s players, are guaranteed a spot in the Hornets line-up.

“That remains to be seen,” he said of how many rookies the squad will sign up. “There’s veteran players that are going to be here, we know that. But just because you played here last year doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed a spot on this team – It’s not what you’ve done before, it’s what you’re doing right now. Obviously there’s something to be said about tangible experience, but if a veteran player is not performing or executing, then conceivably a rookie could take their spot.”

The Hornets won the Georgian Mid Ontario Hockey League Championship in 2013 – the sixth consecutive championship for the team.

They won the fist round of the Schmalz Cup playoffs knocking out Walkerton in six games before bowing out in the semi-final round with a four game loss to the Picton Pirates.

The Hornets 2013 season will get underway with a road game in Schomberg on Thursday, September 12.

The first home game of the season will take place on Friday, September 13, at the New Tecumseth Recreation Complex when the Hornets will host the Stayner Siskins.

The puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

By Brian Lockhart

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