So tryout camp is over, time for another blog. The weekend was fantastic, and it was great to meet some of the parents and see the dedication, heart and commitment that these kids and their folks are about to put into this endeavour. For the 20 or so that make it, I know it will be well worth it. This blog will take a look back at the weekend and prepare for the September long weekend Training Camp.

First off, tryout camp - By The Numbers.

Of the 100ish players that tried out, 48 have made it to the next level. 5 goaltenders, 15 defencemen and 28 forwards. Thirteen 17-year-olds, twenty-one 16-year-olds and fourteen 15-year-olds. 12 players committed to as per BC Hockey mandate, featured 5 17's, 4 16's and 3 15's. Prince George players make up the bulk of the squad, with 21 representatives followed by 7 from Quesnel. Players from Dawson Creek, Kitimat, Terrace, Prince Rupert, Vanderhoof, Williams Lake and Whitehorse make up the rest of the squad.

Some media from the weekend too...I had the chance to speak with Trevor Sprague on Saturday morning as he oversaw one of the scrimmage games. He had some comments on the camp thus far, the talent in the North and the returning players.

Listen Here
(Click and choose 'open')

Also from the weekend, the Cariboo Cougars announced the play-by-play schedule for the year. All home games from Kin 1 will be broadcast live, with a full pre and post game show, featuring player interviews, hockey features and all things Cougars. Jerome LaMarre will be joining me in the booth at centre ice, something I'm extremely excited about. Jerome and I teamed up for the test run during the semi-finals at Kin 1 last season, and by the time we got up and running, we were a great team. He's extremely knowledgeable about the program and the team in general, so he will be a great resource for the broadcast.

Finally, a video was presented to the parents and players, featuring interviews from former players and coach Sprague, preparing them for life with the Cougars.

At the end of the day, I'm extremely excited for the season to start. Next step is covering the camp coming up September long weekend, then it's just a short 3 weeks until the Cougars are on the air. This pilot project is being done with a great deal of help from BC Hockey and everyone at the Cougars is extremely excited about leading the way!