Tigers strong out of the gate
Ridley head coach Mike McCourt
So far, so good for the Ridley Tigers First Boys Hockey team.
The Tigers are off to a 15-5 start to their season, which is composed of games in both the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association (CISAA) League and the Mid‐West Prep Hockey League (MPHL).
“We’re off to a good start,” Ridley head coach Mike McCourt said. “Every year at this time, you’re trying to introduce your new guys, your Grade 11’s, to a different style, a different pace that they’re probably not used to. It takes some adjusting.
“They’re all good players and coming from good programs, but they don’t know what’s around the corner.”
McCourt realizes it’s a big jump from minor hockey to a prep program.
“Maybe they underestimate it a little bit and when they get it here it’s a bit of an eye-opener on how good and how fast the calibre is and then they adjust to it,” he said. “I think we’re at the end of that adjustment phase, but there are a lot of positives signs early.”
While McCourt is justifiably proud of his team’s success in the win column so far, he said Ridley’s program is about far more than just wins and losses.
“At this level, it’s all about development. All our kids play and our kids develop and a byproduct of that is you’re going to have success. You’re probably going to win if all your players develop.”
McCourt also made it clear the classroom comes before the dressing room.
“We’ve maintained a great balance. Last year, our kids had an 85 per cent average overall,” he said proudly. “Education is the priority here and if you can balance them, the kids are passionate about sport, and the administration is very supportive of that.”
McCourt makes sure each year he chooses his team with a eye to the future in mind.
“Our team is constructed with half Grade 11 and half Grade 12,” he explained. “We always have a good core of kids back every year so we’re never in that total rebuild mode. We have a good nucleus and core in place which I think makes that adjustment period quicker.”
McCourt would like to bring in younger players and have them for more than just two years, but is well aware how difficult it can be to get players to commit in their minor midget draft year.
“We’re not going to get kids in Grade 10 in their draft year in Ontario,” he said. “We’ll get them after their draft year. Ridley is a great bridge to major junior or college hockey. Kids come in here with that mindset and they develop on the ice and in the classroom and are better after Grade 12.”
This season’s team is composed of 24 players, including seven local skaters: Max Blanchard, Alex Blanchard, Robbie Stewart, Evan Johnston, A.J. Cook, Christian Ferrante and Matthew Keeley.
It’s a far cry from when McCourt arrived at Ridley eight years ago after serving as head coach of the Niagara IceDogs.
“The depth of our program is the biggest thing. In Year 1, our first trip to Vermont I had to recruit rowers to play because we didn’t have enough bodies. The calibre of student-athlete has grown exponentially and so has the depth of our program, You can’t do that without the support of administration.”
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