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Quote:
Hot prospect Mac Howlett, has joined the Okanagan Hockey Academy UK.
We are delighted to announce another addition to our growing Academy Programme for the coming season on the shape of skilled forward Mac Howlett.
"The attack minded youngster has already gained great experience with both the Bracknell and Guildford U12/U14 age groups over the last four seasons and the talented youngster has also featured for the winning SW Conference U11's and U13's teams for the last three seasons winning an All Star Jersey this year. He has gained caps with the England U13 side and now yearns for the development and plentiful games that the OHA programme will offer"
"I'm very excited about joining the Okanagan Hockey Academy," Howlett told us. "I love being coached by Pete Russell, his drills are brilliant and my legs ache after each session as he really makes us work hard!
"To be on the ice every day before school is a dream and I don't intend to miss any late night training sessions either. I'm looking forwards to training with some really good players as well as playing games in Europe."
Indeed such is Howlett's dedication to the sport, the youngster is preparing for his new challenge with the Academy by attending the Shattuck St Mary's hockey camp in Minnesota and he continued: "Over the last two seasons I have been to the camp for a week at a time with my father, but this year I will be going over on my own for three weeks. It is great hockey, great competition and a lot of fun.
"I want to become a better hockey player and would one day like to play College Hockey in America - to do this I need to be a great hockey player but also have really good grades and to be able to have my evenings free for homework. To do this is really good as late night training makes me really tired for school. After college I would like to play in the Swiss Top League and being a part of the Okanagan Hockey Academy will help me do this."
Speaking about his new addition, OHA Head Coach Peter Russell said: "I would firstly like to welcome Mac to the Academy programme, he is a great addition to the group.
"Mac is an exciting prospect and a very talented young lad. I have known him for three-years and I have worked with him a few times during that period. He has a strong skill-set and just loves the game.
"He has a strong desire to do his best every time he steps on the ice and always puts one-hundred percent into every session.
"This programme is the next step for Mac in his hockey development and as a person. He is young, but he competes well in all situations and mixes well with kids of all ages.
"Within this structure he can only develop further on and off the ice, through the challenges he will face over the next ten months.
"I'm really looking forward to working with him and watching his game, strength and hockey mind grow through-out the course of this season."
Sounds like this kid has ambition and already has a plan set out with what he wants to do by going the college route, we need more kids like that.
The Academy is also proving all the skeptic idiots on THF wrong because it seems that the right players are signing up and not just the ones with money.
I was watching a vid on Capitals TV (Edinburgh) and the owner of the Caps was expressing frustration with Ice Hockey UK on the subject of EU passport holders and the 800 pound fee that IIHF and IHUK is charging for International Transfer Cards.
Seems this dates back to 2003 and IHUK won't respond to the issue.
Now apparently he and some other club owners are threatening legal action as they feel that EU employment laws are being broken.
Should be interesting to follow.
Yea the whole import label and EU players and EU laws is all a bit of a grey confusing area. I think most Euro EU leagues have started to play it safe by allowing EU guys as non imports.
Change the rules and the EIHL gap would get even wider IMO.
Speaking of changing imports, I'm hoping at some point the EPL will change to allowing any nation not just dual nats and EU guys.
Speaking of changing imports, I'm hoping at some point the EPL will change to allowing any nation not just dual nats and EU guys.
Unless it reaches the standard of other 2nd tier leagues such as the Bundesliga and NLB, it won't. Ever.
This topic has been discussed a million times. It is classed as a development league, and will stay that way to avoid EU laws, adding North American imports will negate that status. Until hockey in this country takes a massive leap forward the EPL will never become professional.
Last edited by Imaginary Threats: 07-12-2012 at 08:21 AM.
If you want to be kept updated with all the news without me having to tell you, just click the "join our mailing list" box at the bottom of the article.
Sounds like this kid has ambition and already has a plan set out with what he wants to do by going the college route, we need more kids like that.
The Academy is also proving all the skeptic idiots on THF wrong because it seems that the right players are signing up and not just the ones with money.
Pretty solid article. First of all, great hockey name... Mac Howlett? That sounds like a kid from Parry Sound Ontario with hockey crazed parents
His goals for hockey are pretty fair too. It was a bit random for him to say the top Swiss league but it's not a bad goal to set out for yourself.
How many kids is that now on the roster? I only remember reading about 3 or 4 of these types of posts from you (And I'm joining that mailing list)
Yea the whole import label and EU players and EU laws is all a bit of a grey confusing area. I think most Euro EU leagues have started to play it safe by allowing EU guys as non imports.
Change the rules and the EIHL gap would get even wider IMO.
Speaking of changing imports, I'm hoping at some point the EPL will change to allowing any nation not just dual nats and EU guys.
Sounds like it's not the EU import as non imports is not the problem. But that IHUK is charging 800 Pounds for an International Transfer Card even if the player played in GB last season.
You get 10 or more ITC's at 800 Pounds per player that's significant to cash strapped teams
Any feed back on Hull being left on an island with EIHL re-alignment with most competition being 4 or 5 hours away when Sheffield is so close but in a different conference?
Pretty solid article. First of all, great hockey name... Mac Howlett? That sounds like a kid from Parry Sound Ontario with hockey crazed parents
His goals for hockey are pretty fair too. It was a bit random for him to say the top Swiss league but it's not a bad goal to set out for yourself.
How many kids is that now on the roster? I only remember reading about 3 or 4 of these types of posts from you (And I'm joining that mailing list)
Any feed back on Hull being left on an island with EIHL re-alignment with most competition being 4 or 5 hours away when Sheffield is so close but in a different conference?
Hull was going to get screwed over either way. Either they're in the north conference with further travel or they're in the south with all the good teams.
The problem with Hull being in the southern conference is that they'd have to fit around arena teams too much. Coventry have nearly a 50/50 split between Sunday and Saturday games to accommodate them, while Cardiff have about 2:1. With the arena being run by the council it'd make it far too difficult. I'm pretty sure they asked to be in the northern conference, but I can't find the quote...
Lol the GB women on the front page of IIHF website, it's hilarious they think they actually have a chance at qualifying for Sochi, they're ****ing awful. A conference under 15 team could probably beat them.
The Okanagan Hockey Academy UK are delighted to announce today that 14-year old Ben Nethersell has joined the programme ahead of the new season getting underway.
"I am extremely delighted that Ben has committed to the Okanagan UK Academy Programme for the coming season," said Academy Head Coach Peter Russell. "He is a great addition to our group and I am looking forward to working closely with him on and off-ice.
"I watched him closely at the EIHA Conference Weekend in Hull and again at the OHAUK Try-Out weekend in Swindon and he performed really well on both occasions.
"He is a talented defenceman with a good skill level and he makes a good first pass, see's the ice well and has good mobility. He is a raw talent and has a good size and strength for his young age and he uses it well and competes in all situations."
Indeed, the D-man who has gained experience playing for the Streatham U14's and U16's has demonstrated his ability at more than just club level, turning out for the South East Conference U13 and U15 age groups as well as the England U14's and he has remained on the International radar having been invited for trials for the U15 and U16 national sides too.
"I'm proud to be part of the Academy Programme and excited to be in at the beginning of something that is new to the UK," the player said. "The programme is going to be intense and very demanding but I hope to reach my full potential and make the best career possible from the game and the Academy will give me the opportunity to do that.
"I'm already preparing for the programme by working with a personal trainer and over the summer I am spending two weeks at the Kris King's training camp in Ontario so as I'll be ready once the programme gets underway."
Concluding Russell said: "Ben is another exciting addition to the programme and another young International standard player who has the desire to continue his development further on and off-ice and our programme will bring out the best in him and his game is going to develop further in all areas."
This kid has unbelievable stats, 47 goals 4 assists in 14 games playing for the bottom placed team in the U14A league, only three other players on his team actually scored a goal and two of them only got 1.
He also had 18 goals 19 assists in 12 games playing up in the U16B league.
Yes, but if I used one of those I would get banned. This place is serious business remember
Also Leeb is a very good signing for the EIHL, looks like he had a bad year in the DEL last year but it's a much better league. Reading THF they seem to think there was a lot of off-ice stuff happening behind the scenes at Nurnburg involving management.
Last edited by Imaginary Threats: 07-16-2012 at 03:04 PM.
So if the games are at 7:00PM their time, it'll be 7:00am for me 
