Hockey is for the kids and Barrhead ‘Midget’ Steelers assistant coach Al Starman says he is very proud of the team.
Starman, who presented awards to his players and stood in for head coach Trevor Whiting, at the Barrhead Minor Hockey (BMH) awards on April 11, at Barrhead Composite High School, said to achieve everything the Steelers did this year, the players made sacrifices.
“Hockey is for the kids and we [parents] get caught up in it sometimes but we have to remember that,” Starman said, adding he is glad for the opportunity to have coached such fine young men as the 2016/2017 Steelers.
“At the start of the year, Trevor [Whiting] and I knew we had a difficult task heading back into provincials and I think all of the parents, as well as the players, recognize to achieve what we have with only seven vets and four third years, we had to show a little innovation in coaching,” Starman said.
The bronze banner won by the Steelers was a bit of a joke, he added.
“With only four third years, we beat Athabasca to represent Zone 3 and they had 12 third years of their own. We also beat a very good team from High Prairie with 12 third years on their roster who went undefeated all season. You could say that last year, when we won the silver banner, it was a better representation of our team, but I don’t think so. These guys, especially the 15 and 16-year-olds, had to play like men and I’m very proud of them.”
Starman said he has never liked recognizing only five players at awards night.
“To me, there aren’t only five players who are outstanding,” he said, adding everyone on the team dedicated a lot of themselves.
“One of our players lost a brother this year. Another just lost their grandmother and they’ve all sacrificed a lot to achieve what they have, together, as a team,” he added.
