It’s important to start the new year off on the right foot, and that’s exactly what the U12 Jr. Sarnia Sting A/AA team did.
After closing out 2023 by winning two tournaments and qualifying for the AA loop for the first time, the U12 team went to Buffalo to play in the Buffalo River Outdoor Classic, which ran January 5-7.
In an email to the Journal, U12 assistant coach and team manager Jason Goldhawk says the team was in tough against teams a year older, and with an obvious size advantage, but his kids used their speed and skill to go undefeated and meet the home team, the Buffalo Bisons, in the final.
The U12 Jr. Sting would go on to win in convincing fashion with a 5-1 final.
“As a coaching staff, we have been very happy and proud of this group. All of the kids on this team, including the players that were on the team the previous two seasons that aren’t with us this season, have all been great to coach,” Goldhawk said.
The past few seasons, Goldhawk’s group has been very successful.
Going back to their U10 season, they battled hard against stronger centres like London, Kitchener and Hamilton, just narrowly missing the cut for the AA loop by two wins.
Goldhawk says after that, the team regrouped and went on to finish first in their division and went all the way in the playoffs, bringing home an Alliance Championship after a thrilling overtime win.
This success continued in their U11 season, though once again they missed the AA cut, this time by a single point, they would go on to finish third in the A division, and repeat as Alliance Champions.
After the U11 season, Goldhawk says some tough decisions needed to be made for their U12 season.
“The AAA team accepted some players to their roster from out of county, which translated to some of our home talent being released to the A/AA tryouts. After tough decisions were made, the team started the season strong with a team that found depth throughout the entire roster,” he told the Journal.
Certainly the U12 team has come together well, qualifying in the AA loop this season and rattling off three straight tournament wins.
They won the Essa Eagles Tournament Just south of Barrie Ontario, with a nail biting 1-0 shutout win over the Kingston Canadians, and then went on to the Nations Cup in Detroit Michigan.
The Jr. Sting would face the Downriver Otters and take the Nations Cup for Team Canada in a 4-3 victory, before returning home and clinching their first AA berth.
“They all play for one another. They all respond well to their coaches and have a lot of fun with everything we do related to the team,” Goldhawk said.
As a coaching staff, Goldhawk explained, they make it a point to distribute the talent throughout the lineup, and make sure everyone gets a chance to play in all different situations.
“We make sure before every game that they understand we are a team from small town Sarnia. If our team isn’t the hardest working team on the ice, we don’t have a chance to win.”
The U12 Jr Sting team currently sits with a 10-4-2 record this season, and are 1-1-0 so far in the AA loop, as they attempt to chase down a third straight Alliance Championship, and their first AA title.