Bantam Twins go back-to-back

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This article was published 28/03/2012 (4944 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

During 27 years of coaching minor hockey, Scott Wiley has never been around a group that got along as well as his Pembina Trail Twins bantam AA squad.

The team, which just won a city championship for the second straight year, was heavy on leadership and light on ego.

“It was a very close dressing room,” Wiley said. “They had a tremendous respect for each other, a desire to be with each other, and the parent group was just fantastic. They all wanted to get together more often away from the rink.”

That camaraderie was one of the key reasons for the team’s outstanding season, which concluded with a championship series victory over the Monarchs, three games to one. Seven new players joined the group that won the minor bantam title in 2011.

“Since we’ve been with each other for two seasons now we’re pretty close,” said defenceman Christian Peters, a 15-year-old Fort Garry resident whose personal hot-streak includes a pair of city baseball championships with the Winnipeg South Chiefs during the past two summers. “We do hang out outside of hockey quite a bit, and it’s been interesting because we get to know each other more as (people) than just on the ice.”

Although many of the faces were the same, Wiley said this year’s team took on a different complexion from the previous season. Rather than relying on a few players (who have since moved on to AAA) to do most of the scoring, this year’s Twins had a balanced attack.

“We were blessed with nine solid forwards,” Wiley said. “I think they all had more than 25 points on the year. I felt sorry for other coaches trying to match us.”

The defence corps was comfortable shuffling its pairings when Peters went down with a separated shoulder on two different occasions. And the goaltending duo of Jesse Angers and Anna Kulas was dependable all season long.

“I was very excited that we won,” said Kulas, a 14-year-old Linden Woods resident and the Twins’ only female player. “I was more excited than last year when we won. Not many people get to win two years in a row. I thought this year we had more of a desire to win, and we were very disciplined.”

That discipline was no accident. Wiley, a police officer by day, makes it abundantly clear that silly penalties will not be tolerated.

“I’m a pretty stern coach in that regard,” Wiley said, noting that the Twins didn’t take a single unsportsmanlike conduct penalty all season.

Of all the team bonding that the Twins did, perhaps the most significant took place when they ran a skills camp for 45 younger players after Christmas.

“It helped us for sure,” Peters said. “It was quite a bit of fun. It brought out different sides of each player, being around little kids who are being influenced by them.”

Added Kulas: “I really enjoyed that. It’s something I’m looking forward to doing in future, dealing with children and hockey: two of my favourite things.”

 

avi.saper@canstarnews.com