| L.A. Stars Season Starting |
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In just it's second season, the L.A. Stars club has grown in more ways than one: not only have the Stars doubled in numbers (the club has grown to encompass 47 student-athletes), but the club's returning players have really shown the new group what one year can do. As camp opened last week, the Stars mixed things up, having players compete for spots on one of two teams: the Preparatory team (Prep) and Varsity squad. The two teams, who both will play in the National U-17 league, will allow players with varying skill sets to compete in challenging levels, but also with players who compliment their own skill set.
"We looked at development as the key to where we placed our kids," explains coach O'Leary. "We have such a vast diversity of players who come in at different ages, skill-sets, and we have to determine what the best plan is for their development. There were some very tough decisions, but we feel as an organization that we fairly assessed and placed the players in order to maximize everyone's skill sets as best we can." This challenge of placing players on one of the two teams was difficult, given that the Stars' deadline for declaring players on a roster was just 4 days after camp started. Hosting three-a-day practises and training off-ice one hour a day, the Stars really pushed their young men to see what type of shape players came in, as well as how well players could handle the adjustment to such a rigourous training schedule. Their players were exposed to systems and practises that were challenging, and pushed the limits of some players' capabilities. "We want to make sure guys are aware of what they will see. Systems, expectations, and off-ice training are essential to their progress and are keys to development. We need to see where our deficencies are, and then start working on them." The L.A. players also welcomed the Young Adler of Mannheim, as the Frank Fischoeder led-group made the trek south to hold their own training camp, and gave the Stars' coaching staff competition that was important to assessing the players and their capabilities. Four games were played in total, as all 47 players in camp saw action against the German squad. The results over the course of the week were promising, as three of the matches between Mannheim and the entire Academy group (players were mixed together to form a 20 man roster for three of the games), while the last game on Saturday morning was comprised of the players selected as the Prep roster. The scores were 2-2 (Mannheim vs. try-out squad), 5-0 (Mannheim vs. try-out squad), and 5-1 (Mannheim vs. try-out squad). The Saturday morning game pitted the newly formed Stars Prep squad (after the week of try-outs) against the Young Adler, with the Stars coming out on top 4-1. The young Varsity Stars then took on the U-15 Tigers from Vienna, and despite being fatigued and over-worked from their first week for many of them, Coach Ben Blakeley's group cruised to a 12-4 win.
Over the next week, the two teams will prepare for their first matches of the season. Both Blakeley and O'Leary were showing signs of excitement to finally see the rosters they would have to work with over the next 10 months. "I think it's great... we have a great group of kids at both levels, and the skill set for both will be challenged in different ways. It's also important that we remember: we are here to develop these guys, and by breaking them up the way we did, it will allow them that opportunity," said O'Leary. "I think that our practises are now more suited to skill sets of individual players and still challenging to everyone, while our game schedule will challenge us and offer each group the opportunity to refine and learn new skills that will get them to the next level." Blakeley echoed the sentiment. "Jay's right: we are here to develop, and we are pretty excited about the groups we have. Sure, both teams have a long way to go, but that's the best part: seeing how far these guys go by the end of the year."
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