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.
For the Norman team, the players' ultimate goal is to be seen by scouts, while the Program of Excellence (P.O.E) will give players a chance to compete in the 2007 Canada Games. Trent Boak, coach of the Norman team, got a head start in selecting his group and he likes what he has. "We've got a lot of speed this year," said Boak. "Some good size, a lot of team chemistry there, it looks good." The Norman team is made up of 18 players from Flin Flon, The Pas, Norway House, and Thompson for the Director's Cup Tournament in Brandon on April 18. "This is bantam draft year for the Western Hockey League," said the Norman's third-year coach. There are four kids from Flin Flon, three from The Pas, two from Norway House, and nine from Thompson. One of the four Flin Flon players is Cory Dupre. "It feels really good," Cory said of making the team. "I played with lots of good players here, we like to work the cycle a lot, work down low." Cory likes the extra ice-time he gets, and playing with this group helps him meet players he hopes to play with at the midget AAA level. "I'd like to go play university somewhere after playing for the Bombers if I could," he said. "Growing up I've always played and watched, and with my brother (Richard) on the Bombers now, seeing him play, I'd like to play on the Bombers too, follow in his footsteps." During the weekend, the Norman team practiced for hours and played two exhibition games against the P.O.E. group, who practiced after them. Players trying out for this team hope to make the cut in 2007 and represent Team Manitoba for the Canada Games. There are eight players from Flin Flon trying to crack the line-up. Brian Danielson is the regional co-ordinator for the P.O.E. Watching from the high seats in the Sportex, he hopes he won't have to rush his selections. "I don't want these boys concentrating on my program when they're still involved with their club team," Danielson explained. "When their club season is over, that's when they should be looking at the elite program. Hopefully it will be early in March." The weekend was the first of four steps to forming Team Manitoba. Players who survived last weekend will be participate in a camp in Winnipeg at the end of April and then from there another group will be chosen to go onto the final camp in Brandon at the end of June. "The coaching staff from Team Manitoba will track them with their club teams through to probably about the middle of November at which time the team will be picked," Danielson said. On the Hockey Manitoba site, it states the Director's Cup tournament as an introduction to the P.O.E. Players playing on the P.O.E team are 16-years-old. This program helps identify players for the National Program, the National Junior Teams, the National Under 18 years, and the Regional Under 17 Years Program.
