Tyler Ferbey to stay in Alberta.
http://ajhl.ca/news/2008/07/29/pontiacs-release-ferbey-commits-to-concordia-college/
The Robb Hunter Blog
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
AJ Director of Officiating is a HOFer
From the Camrose Canadian.
Not just a great name for a newspaper.
http://www.camrosecanadian.com/Sports/411192.html
Not just a great name for a newspaper.
http://www.camrosecanadian.com/Sports/411192.html
Friday, July 18, 2008
AJHLer's Making News
Jeff McGourty From NHL.com
To hear some tell it, the rich are fortunate. Others will tell you the rich got that way through hard work. In reality, there are heirs and such who are fortunate -- and there are those who've amassed their own fortunes.
Joe Colborne, the Boston Bruins' first-round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft, fits both categories -- and he isn't afraid to discuss the subject. It's important because there are those who think Colborne's wealth will make him too soft to play in the NHL.
The Bruins used the No. 16 pick to make Colborne the first Tier II player selected this year. He was the No. 28-ranked North American skater, meaning that the Bruins rated him much more highly than NHL Central Scouting. Nor are the Bruins the only ones who think Colborne will succeed: He's headed to the University of Denver this fall.
Colborne isn't the only family member making headlines this year. His dad, Paul, is a Calgary corporate lawyer with a unique ability to create energy-exploration companies that he sells to larger companies. As a result of his family's wealth and Joe's decision to bypass Canadian junior hockey, there were whispers before the draft that Colborne is "soft" and lacks the heart to withstand the grind and punishment of the NHL.
Guess those folks never talked to Joe Colborne. The only thing "soft" about Colborne are his hands. As for the silver spoon, it likely got left behind in Ontario in the 1970s when Joe's grandfather, a construction worker, moved halfway across the country to find work in hard times. Later on, Paul Colborne played baseball and football at the University of Calgary and then went to law school there. He became a corporate attorney for an oil company, where he learned the skills that led to his recognition as one of North America's leaders in startup exploration companies.
"Some people try to stereotype me with some other people," Joe Colborne said. "Our parents brought us up to understand that nothing in life is given to you. They said if I wanted something, to go out and take it. It's not like I haven't made sacrifices. I moved away when I was 15 to attend Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan. The sacrifices that my family and I have made helped me get to where I am today.
"My father is someone who didn't have much growing up, so he made sure he put in the hard work to become successful. My mom is the same way, and I feel lucky I had them to look up to. For me and my three sisters, they instilled the need for hard work and perseverance from the time we were little."
Paul Colborne's familiarity with construction work helped when Joe was getting better at hockey and the family moved to a new home that had an old outbuilding on the property.
"My dad played baseball and football and I don't think he had hockey in mind for me, but he always told me, 'You choose what you want to do.' I said it was hockey and he couldn't have been more supportive. The tractor shed had a smooth concrete floor I could shoot from. My dad and I put in a lot of time fixing it up. We have a 40 x 50-foot area with a net. We put up a basketball net for my sisters at the other end. They've all been good basketball players. I hit the walls with so many shots, I was covering the floor with wood chips so we added a mesh net that fixed that."
Colborne was at an impasse at the end of his bantam years. He was a gangly kid without a big reputation and he tried out for a Midget AAA team in Calgary. There may be no place tougher to make such a team.
"I went to the summer tryout camp, but they weren't going to take me as a 15-year-old," Joe Colborne said. "I had made it my goal to play juniors at 16 and there was no way I could make that jump from a regular youth hockey team to juniors, with players aged 20 and 21, so Notre Dame was one opportunity that came up.
"Other than my parents, coach Rybalka has had the greatest influence on me. He gave me an opportunity at 16 to play with some really good players. I learned so much that year and he was the best coach I ever had." - Joe Colborne
"It was a little scary. I didn't know if I would make the team. I had moved away from home and I was living in a dorm with three guys. It was a huge learning experience for me, a turning point. I had decided that if I wanted to go into hockey, I had to do things like this. It was just what I needed."
The Tri-City Americans held Colborne's WHL rights, and Notre Dame wanted him back, but Colborne chose the Tier II route, traveling north up Route 13 to play for the Camrose Kodiaks and coach Boris Rybalka.
"The people at Tri-Cities were great," Colborne said. "They said they would be happy to have me, but that it was my decision. As a family, we were undecided until we talked to coach Rybalka. It seemed like a great fit and went with the intention of staying one year. I had a great year and went back for another season. During that time, I visited a few colleges and really liked Denver.
"Other than my parents, coach Rybalka has had the greatest influence on me. He gave me an opportunity at 16 to play with some really good players. I learned so much that year and he was the best coach I ever had. Why leave prematurely? I went back and I give him a lot of thanks for where I am today."
Some of the players at the Bruins’ development camp will return to training camp in September, but Colborne will be in Denver, preparing for his first NCAA season. He knows he needs to add weight and strength, something that will come with physical maturity and hard work. He expects to play two years for Denver.
Right now, he's not thinking about that. He's trying to remember everything Cam Neely is telling him.
"They wanted us to come here to get an idea what training camp is like," Colborne said. "It's been great. We've been on the ice and we've done a lot of off-ice training and testing. A lot of guys are in the same situation, trying to make a name for themselves. I'm just trying to take in as much as possible. Hopefully, it will pay off.
"Cam Neely ran some of practices. That was pretty neat. When he speaks, I make sure I listen. Don Sweeney ran the practice the first day. You can tell these guys know what they're talking about so I'm just trying to learn as much as possible."
Why not? There's money to be made.
To hear some tell it, the rich are fortunate. Others will tell you the rich got that way through hard work. In reality, there are heirs and such who are fortunate -- and there are those who've amassed their own fortunes.
Joe Colborne, the Boston Bruins' first-round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft, fits both categories -- and he isn't afraid to discuss the subject. It's important because there are those who think Colborne's wealth will make him too soft to play in the NHL.
The Bruins used the No. 16 pick to make Colborne the first Tier II player selected this year. He was the No. 28-ranked North American skater, meaning that the Bruins rated him much more highly than NHL Central Scouting. Nor are the Bruins the only ones who think Colborne will succeed: He's headed to the University of Denver this fall.
Colborne isn't the only family member making headlines this year. His dad, Paul, is a Calgary corporate lawyer with a unique ability to create energy-exploration companies that he sells to larger companies. As a result of his family's wealth and Joe's decision to bypass Canadian junior hockey, there were whispers before the draft that Colborne is "soft" and lacks the heart to withstand the grind and punishment of the NHL.
Guess those folks never talked to Joe Colborne. The only thing "soft" about Colborne are his hands. As for the silver spoon, it likely got left behind in Ontario in the 1970s when Joe's grandfather, a construction worker, moved halfway across the country to find work in hard times. Later on, Paul Colborne played baseball and football at the University of Calgary and then went to law school there. He became a corporate attorney for an oil company, where he learned the skills that led to his recognition as one of North America's leaders in startup exploration companies.
"Some people try to stereotype me with some other people," Joe Colborne said. "Our parents brought us up to understand that nothing in life is given to you. They said if I wanted something, to go out and take it. It's not like I haven't made sacrifices. I moved away when I was 15 to attend Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan. The sacrifices that my family and I have made helped me get to where I am today.
"My father is someone who didn't have much growing up, so he made sure he put in the hard work to become successful. My mom is the same way, and I feel lucky I had them to look up to. For me and my three sisters, they instilled the need for hard work and perseverance from the time we were little."
Paul Colborne's familiarity with construction work helped when Joe was getting better at hockey and the family moved to a new home that had an old outbuilding on the property.
"My dad played baseball and football and I don't think he had hockey in mind for me, but he always told me, 'You choose what you want to do.' I said it was hockey and he couldn't have been more supportive. The tractor shed had a smooth concrete floor I could shoot from. My dad and I put in a lot of time fixing it up. We have a 40 x 50-foot area with a net. We put up a basketball net for my sisters at the other end. They've all been good basketball players. I hit the walls with so many shots, I was covering the floor with wood chips so we added a mesh net that fixed that."
Colborne was at an impasse at the end of his bantam years. He was a gangly kid without a big reputation and he tried out for a Midget AAA team in Calgary. There may be no place tougher to make such a team.
"I went to the summer tryout camp, but they weren't going to take me as a 15-year-old," Joe Colborne said. "I had made it my goal to play juniors at 16 and there was no way I could make that jump from a regular youth hockey team to juniors, with players aged 20 and 21, so Notre Dame was one opportunity that came up.
"Other than my parents, coach Rybalka has had the greatest influence on me. He gave me an opportunity at 16 to play with some really good players. I learned so much that year and he was the best coach I ever had." - Joe Colborne
"It was a little scary. I didn't know if I would make the team. I had moved away from home and I was living in a dorm with three guys. It was a huge learning experience for me, a turning point. I had decided that if I wanted to go into hockey, I had to do things like this. It was just what I needed."
The Tri-City Americans held Colborne's WHL rights, and Notre Dame wanted him back, but Colborne chose the Tier II route, traveling north up Route 13 to play for the Camrose Kodiaks and coach Boris Rybalka.
"The people at Tri-Cities were great," Colborne said. "They said they would be happy to have me, but that it was my decision. As a family, we were undecided until we talked to coach Rybalka. It seemed like a great fit and went with the intention of staying one year. I had a great year and went back for another season. During that time, I visited a few colleges and really liked Denver.
"Other than my parents, coach Rybalka has had the greatest influence on me. He gave me an opportunity at 16 to play with some really good players. I learned so much that year and he was the best coach I ever had. Why leave prematurely? I went back and I give him a lot of thanks for where I am today."
Some of the players at the Bruins’ development camp will return to training camp in September, but Colborne will be in Denver, preparing for his first NCAA season. He knows he needs to add weight and strength, something that will come with physical maturity and hard work. He expects to play two years for Denver.
Right now, he's not thinking about that. He's trying to remember everything Cam Neely is telling him.
"They wanted us to come here to get an idea what training camp is like," Colborne said. "It's been great. We've been on the ice and we've done a lot of off-ice training and testing. A lot of guys are in the same situation, trying to make a name for themselves. I'm just trying to take in as much as possible. Hopefully, it will pay off.
"Cam Neely ran some of practices. That was pretty neat. When he speaks, I make sure I listen. Don Sweeney ran the practice the first day. You can tell these guys know what they're talking about so I'm just trying to learn as much as possible."
Why not? There's money to be made.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
New Uniforms
The long awaited brand new Bonnyville Pontiac uniforms have arrived. There are a couple on display at the Pontiac offices in the Centennial Centre.
With the AJHL getting Reebok to be a corporate sponsor last year teams had a season to switch to the new Reebok sweaters. While the Pontiacs old uniforms were modeled after the Buffalo Sabres sweaters the Sabres uni wasn't made by Reebok so a change had to be made.
For the new Uniforms think Pittsburgh Penguins colours with New York Rangers lettering across the front saying Pontiacs then add San Jose Sharks numbering on the front which I think was a move just to make life easier on the play by play guy who appreciates all the help he can get spotting a number in some of the rinks around the league where the vantage point is somewhat suspect.
With the AJHL getting Reebok to be a corporate sponsor last year teams had a season to switch to the new Reebok sweaters. While the Pontiacs old uniforms were modeled after the Buffalo Sabres sweaters the Sabres uni wasn't made by Reebok so a change had to be made.
For the new Uniforms think Pittsburgh Penguins colours with New York Rangers lettering across the front saying Pontiacs then add San Jose Sharks numbering on the front which I think was a move just to make life easier on the play by play guy who appreciates all the help he can get spotting a number in some of the rinks around the league where the vantage point is somewhat suspect.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Schollies and weddings
Kool 101.3 reported a few months ago that Jesse Chenard would become the 6th Bonnyville Pontiac from the 2007/08 team to commit to a school (Lucas Isley had received his scholarship offer prior to the season).
Chenard, Adam Schwark, Brayden Kolisniak, Lyle Van Weiren, Jamie Easton and Steven Seigo all deserve congratulations for the work they have done to earn their right to move their hockey careers along to another level.
While Pontiac fans will have one more year to watch Seigo in action there are now some interesting NCAA matchups to keep an eye on this year. Freshmen Jamie Easton and Lucas Isley will face off against one another at Kalamazoo Michigan as Easton’s University of Alabama Hunstville team travels North to face Isley’s Western Michigan squad on January 16th and 17th. Isley also has the opportunity to against former Pontiac, sophomore, Justin Fontaine October 17th and 18th at the Univeristy of Minnesota-Duluth. I imagine there will be a few knowing nods during warmup.
Finally, it’s less than a month to the wedding and planning is coming along. We are still hearing back on the RSVP’s with a few more coming in everyday and with the MLB All Star game having been played at Yankee Stadium the reality that we will be there on our honeymoon is really starting to sink in.
Chenard, Adam Schwark, Brayden Kolisniak, Lyle Van Weiren, Jamie Easton and Steven Seigo all deserve congratulations for the work they have done to earn their right to move their hockey careers along to another level.
While Pontiac fans will have one more year to watch Seigo in action there are now some interesting NCAA matchups to keep an eye on this year. Freshmen Jamie Easton and Lucas Isley will face off against one another at Kalamazoo Michigan as Easton’s University of Alabama Hunstville team travels North to face Isley’s Western Michigan squad on January 16th and 17th. Isley also has the opportunity to against former Pontiac, sophomore, Justin Fontaine October 17th and 18th at the Univeristy of Minnesota-Duluth. I imagine there will be a few knowing nods during warmup.
Finally, it’s less than a month to the wedding and planning is coming along. We are still hearing back on the RSVP’s with a few more coming in everyday and with the MLB All Star game having been played at Yankee Stadium the reality that we will be there on our honeymoon is really starting to sink in.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Corporate Partners
The commercialization of sports is nothing new. You have to go pretty far back to find a hockey game on ESPN classic that doesn’t have rink board advertising and there isn’t a sports facility built today that doesn’t have the name of a corporation plastered across it’s placard. While you often hear people complaining that it’s taking away from the game I honestly don’t mind. Would it really make a difference to me if the St. Louis Blues play in the Scottrade Center or the St. Louis Arena? Go with the Scottrade Center and take the money.
The AJHL announced Wednesday new corporate partners for the 2008 Showcase Weekend. Last year marked the first annual Showcase Weekend and was a fantastic event for players, fans and most importantly scouts. The only downside was the Pontiacs didn’t play very well dropping both their games. The event is obviously growing and with the addition of corporate sponsors will only be better this year.
I must say though, as a radio announcer, I’m not impressed with who the sponsors are;
The 2008 Crescent Point Energy Trust and TriStar Oil & Gas AJHL Showcase Weekend
And I’m the guy who doesn’t mind corporate naming rights. My issues though are strictly personal. I mean, who wants to have to say “Welcome to the 2008 Crescent Point Energy Trust and TriStar Oil & Gas AJHL Showcase Weekend” for three straight days not to mention in the weeks leading up to the event.
In all seriousness though, it’s great to see companies wanting to associate themselves with the terrific product the AJHL is offering. This is just one more sign the league is showing growth as a development league for hockey players as well as corporate entity itself.
To Crescent Point and TriStar, welcome to the league, glad to have you and I will be happy to give the plugs you deserve. In the mean time though how about an abbreviation?
The C-PET and TOG AJHL Showcase Weekend?
The AJHL announced Wednesday new corporate partners for the 2008 Showcase Weekend. Last year marked the first annual Showcase Weekend and was a fantastic event for players, fans and most importantly scouts. The only downside was the Pontiacs didn’t play very well dropping both their games. The event is obviously growing and with the addition of corporate sponsors will only be better this year.
I must say though, as a radio announcer, I’m not impressed with who the sponsors are;
The 2008 Crescent Point Energy Trust and TriStar Oil & Gas AJHL Showcase Weekend
And I’m the guy who doesn’t mind corporate naming rights. My issues though are strictly personal. I mean, who wants to have to say “Welcome to the 2008 Crescent Point Energy Trust and TriStar Oil & Gas AJHL Showcase Weekend” for three straight days not to mention in the weeks leading up to the event.
In all seriousness though, it’s great to see companies wanting to associate themselves with the terrific product the AJHL is offering. This is just one more sign the league is showing growth as a development league for hockey players as well as corporate entity itself.
To Crescent Point and TriStar, welcome to the league, glad to have you and I will be happy to give the plugs you deserve. In the mean time though how about an abbreviation?
The C-PET and TOG AJHL Showcase Weekend?
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Soccer Provincials Cont.
Big thanks to Tom Vargas for driving down from Cold Lake this morning to join me and Dave on the radio.
Tom's the guest coach of the U18 Cold Lake boys soccer team who won provincials on the weekend.
The team returns all but 3 players next year. It's not very common for a team of 16 year olds to win a provincial championship at the U18 level so things look good for next year.
Tom's the guest coach of the U18 Cold Lake boys soccer team who won provincials on the weekend.
The team returns all but 3 players next year. It's not very common for a team of 16 year olds to win a provincial championship at the U18 level so things look good for next year.
Soccer Provincials
Discussed the idea on air the other day that our country should hand out Canadian passports to young Brazilian soccer players. It's a great sport and I'm willing to take shortcuts to get our country into a world cup. I'm not even worried if we don't win a game once we get there, as long as we score at least 1 goal this time once we are in the tournament.
Long intro but perhaps skipping the shortcuts is working in the Lakeland. Congrats to the U18 Cold Lake boys for their gold medals at Provincials this past weekend. A 2-1 win over Peace River in the final was enough to clinch it.
Join me, Dave and their associate coach on air this morning at just after 8:00.
Long intro but perhaps skipping the shortcuts is working in the Lakeland. Congrats to the U18 Cold Lake boys for their gold medals at Provincials this past weekend. A 2-1 win over Peace River in the final was enough to clinch it.
Join me, Dave and their associate coach on air this morning at just after 8:00.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Welcome
Much like the social networking craze which I am now a part off I am a little late to the Blogging game but welcome non the less.
TRH
TRH
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