The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
A familiar face in Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League circles is attempting to build a collegiate program around SJHL players and having some early success. Blaine Gusdal, who has held head coaching posts in Battlefords, Lebret, and Yorkton, is into his second season as the man in charge of men's hockey at Augustana in Camrose, Alberta. Augustana is a University of Alberta affiliate that allows students and hockey players to work towards receiving a U of A degree without attending school in Edmonton. For SJHL players, this is a huge bonus as the Golden Bears are built, predominantly, around major junior all-stars. Enter Augustana and the persistence of Gusdal toward securing post secondary futures in players who may, otherwise, garner interest from the NCAA level. Gusdal's prize recruit may be Nipawin's Torrie Dyck or Humboldt's Tanner Vandesype. However, Melville's Daniel Hope matched Dyck's point production this past season and all three are headed to Augustana along with rugged Kyle Garagan (Estevan), the speedy Matt Schneider (Nipawin), and big 6'4" Dean Prpick (Nipawin). Luke Boyer (Kindersley), Richard Dupre (Flin Flon-Melville), David Ritz (Estevan), Casey Rempel (Kindersley), Adam Tresoor (Melville), Charles Burd (Nipawin), and Darcy Holfeld (Kindersley) played for the Vikings last year. The ACAC, in general, has been a tremendous outlet for SJHL grads to continue playing careers at a high level. Gusdal says the quality of play is one of Canada's best kept hockey secrets. "If you look at programs at SAIT, NAIT, and Mount Royal you will see they have rosters that compete very well with the CIS. SAIT has won three ACAC titles in a row and play exhibition games against CIS teams and hold their own in those games. "We know, as a league, the hockey is much better than other people realize. College hockey in Canada doesn't get the exposure it should. "I have often said if you can watch a playoff game between Alberta and Saskatchewan in the CIS, you have seen some of the best hockey that can be offered. The same is true in the ACAC. "We had a five game final between SAIT and Mount Royal that was unbelievable." A quick glance at rosters from SAIT and Mount Royal and you will find former SJHLers such as Kyle Gladue (La Ronge), Scott Carpenter (Yorkton), Kris Carver (Yorkton), and Blake McCullough (Flin Flon-Yorkton) on SAIT. Mount Royal featured the likes of leading scorer Josh Zimmer (Kindersley), Luke Scheuer (Weyburn), Matt Restoule (Battlefords-Flin Flon), Darnell Glass (Estevan), and Steve Houghton (Kindersley-Estevan). Mark Nelson (Melville) and Jeremy McKibbon (Humboldt) were amongst the league's leading scorers playing with NAIT, and former SJHL Most Valuable Player Anthony Heuer (Melville) played 19 games for NAIT and ranked sixth in goals against average. While the proof is in the pudding with SJHL players excelling in the ACAC, that really wasn't a factor in Gusdal's pursuit, who simply went with his own personal preference. "The biggest thing for me is knowing the league and the character of the coaches and players. I'm biased, but I've been involved with a lot of different hockey programs and I've always been impressed with the mental edge in Saskatchewan. "The coaches are committed, work very hard, and the league is committed. It's the prototypical working man's league. The players bring it every day and I'm very excited about the six players we are bringing in. They all wore letters on their SJHL teams and that's a bonus for us." Hope, Vandesype, Dyck, Garagan, Prpick, and Schneider will be going to a team that plays in a state-of-the-art facility in Camrose with, what Gusdal calls, professional style dressing rooms and a fitness center that is second to none. "I think what sells our program the most, however, is that you will leave with a U of A degree and that sets a person up very well for a future anywhere across western Canada."
