[templatic_contentbox type=”normal” title=”London Jr. Knights Minor Bantam ‘AAA’ team”] Back row (left to right): Wesley Wilding, Matthew Sturgeon, Ryan Jonsson, Jack Uniac, Trent Ballentyne, Brian McAllister (Trainer) Middle row: Rodney Hynes (Head Coach), Tage Gallant, Bohdi Duncan, Damian Pancino, Teja Gatfield, Markus Hicks, Nolan Burnside Front row: Cole Sheffield, Paul Byrne (Asst Coach), Bryce Mcconnell-Barker, Dylan Roobroeck, Owen Kindree, Jacob Couchie, Tyler Schruder (Asst Coach), Joshua Hannivan [/templatic_contentbox]

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The London Jr. Knights Minor Bantam AAA team certainly got the 2017-18 season started in a good way. Boarding a bus for a 12-hour ride (with players, coaches and parents), the team enjoyed a great team-building experience as they traveled to Boston, MA in early fall to compete in the Boston Breakout Tournament.

Part of the AAA Elite Super Series tournaments, the Boston tournament pitted the Jr. Knights against some of the more talented squads in the U.S., including Team Illinois, the Chicago Young Americans, New Jersey Avalanche, and Minnesota Fire.

“The players did a fantastic job in a tournament so early in the year,” said Rodney Hynes, the team’s head coach. “And they had a lot of laughs and great times over the weekend as well.”

The Minor Bantam Jr. Knights AAA team, which is made up of 17 players born in 2004 (13 years old), have also played in the Wendy Dufton Memorial Classic tournament (in London), the Vaughan Kings Classic (in Vaughan, Ont.), and the Cup North American Championships (Buffalo, NY). Regular season action sees the team travel as far west as Windsor and as far east as Waterloo. Their goal is to make a run for the Alliance hockey Championship at the end of the year, and Hynes says the team is heading in the right direction, as they continue to improve each time they take the ice.

“They come to the rink each and every night to compete hard during practices and games,” the coach said. “It’s awesome to watch the individual and team skills that the players display on the ice. Sometimes you just sit in awe of what they can do at this age.”

One of the biggest benefits going for the Minor Bantam Jr. Knights is that the majority of the players have been playing together for the past five seasons. And it shows, as the players trust in one another – both on and off the ice. Not to mention, they enjoy a good laugh or two at themselves in good fun.

“It’s been a great experience, for both my staff and myself, to have the opportunity to coach and work alongside these incredible young and talented players over the course of the season so far,” said Hynes. “It’s been a pleasure getting to know not only these great young players, but also their families.”

Contributions by Rodney Hynes and photo by Forest City Image Centre

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