Full Article found here: http://www.standard-freeholder.com/2015/09/13/midget-aa-hockey-is-not-the-last-stop
With change comes new opportunities and the Midget AA level this season is a prime example. The new Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO) AAA program has opened more doors than ever for players looking to move to the next level of the game. Combining all three age levels for Midget hockey together and increasing the number of AAA teams in the league has given the AA level a renewed purpose.
It is never too late to take the next step if you are willing to work for it. The new league has increased the number of players at Midget AAA significantly and this has resulted in more local kids actually playing at that level. The key is that each AAA team is affiliated to a Junior A team. With this affiliation comes increased opportunities for local players. The league is striving to give kids an opportunity to play closer to home, practise closer to home, spend more time at home, and be more involved with their schools. It is a win-win for the kids and the parents who, in most cases, no longer need to make the trek to Ottawa four or five times a week for team practices, games or off-ice training.
That is why AA is not the last stop, anymore, for midget players in our home area. With AAA on the front doorstep and a desire by the Junior A coach (Ian MacInnis) to develop homegrown talent, it has made Seaway Valley AA Midget more important than ever. It should now be looked at as a part of the process to get to AAA, then Junior A, or the new Tier II league.
Ian MacInnis has made it very clear to the Seaway Valley Rapids board that the U18 AAA Colts will be using the AA Rapids team as his affiliate team. He wants to make the AA level an important stepping stone for the players coming into the Midget ranks and a development level for the players that might need an extra year to grow — whether that be physically or mentally — to the bigger game. There are a lot of young players that are late bloomers, not quite ready for the jump and because of the old system got lost in the shuffle or discouraged. Now those players can use that first, second or even third year of Midget AA as a stepping stone. Midget AA is part of the process of getting to the next level, not the last step in the minor hockey system before the beer league starts.
So all of you 1998, 1999, and 2000 age players who think it is all done, it isn’t! Come out to the Seaway Valley Rapids Midget AA tryouts and let’s see if just maybe this is your stepping stone. Are you the late bloomer that just needs some ice time with some very talented players to bring out the best of your abilities?
• Interested players can reach Head Coach Paul Huntley at pmdehuntley@sympatico.ca or contact Seaway Valley Rapids on the web site www.seawayvalleyrapids.com.
