Showcase Hockey Camp opens doors some players never experienced before
By Bruce Fuhr
The Nelson and District Community Complex Arena was filled with pond action this weekend as Princeton Posse head coach Dale Hladun hosted a Showcase Hockey Camp.
More than 80 junior-aged players from as far away as Quebec and Philadelphia, Penn., traveled to the Heritage City to display their skills in front of Junior A scouts.
“Year’s ago the Royal Bank was held in Prince George and I thought there’s going to be a lot of scouts coming to watch so why don’t I run a Showcase (hockey camp) as well,” said Hladun.
“So I did that and for the last four or five years I’ve run a camp in Prince (George).
“But then a good friend of mine Simon Wheeldon suggested I come to Nelson,” Hladun added. “Last year we had 65 and this year we hosted 85 players. So I was pretty happy with that number.”
The camp was mostly game scenarios so scouts from Junior A to college and university can see the players in action against their peers.
“I just believe that there’s a lot of kids in the KIJHL (Kootenay International Junior Hockey League) that need an opportunity to play in front of scouts,” Hladun explained.
“Many of them go to the same (BCHL) camps hoping to get a roster spot. But they’re so many good kids in this province that there are not enough roster spots for all of them.”
Hladun boasted scouts from leagues in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba as well as Adrian College in Michigan, Portage College in Alberta.
There was also KIJHL coaches, including Frank Maida of the Leafs and Castlegar’s Steve Junker.
“I don’t care what their level is, we have a spot for you,” said Hladun, putting players from the KIJHL up against other leagues in Western Canada and the United States.
“And thanks to these camps some of the older kids in our league, they’re now getting chances to continue playing when a lot of them thought their careers might be over.”
Some of the local Nelson players in camp included Dryden Hunt, who spent last season in the Western Hockey League with the Regina Pats, Carsen Willans of the Nelson Leafs, Adam DiBella, who played last year in Saskatchewan and Nelson Midget Rep prospect Colton Dawson.
The camp started Friday, concluding Sunday afternoon with the final scrimmage game.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
