Local blue-liners heading to Europe 

Published: Thu, 20 May 2010 by Tom Kennedy

As the world watched in awe while a massive volcano spewed ash into the sky above Iceland last month, two young Brantford hockey players watched in dismay as their plans went out the window.

Thirteen-year-old defencemen Ethan Spaxman and Austin Elkin had already packed their bags and were getting ready to leave for a 10-day trip to Europe to compete in the World Selects hockey tournament in the Czech Republic when they realized they couldn’t fly.

The pair were devastated as they thought they would miss the tournament, which was originally scheduled to run from April 16 to 26. Later that week, their disappointment was replaced with relief as they were told the entire tournament had been rescheduled to July 18 to 28 because six teams from North America were unable to travel during the environmental anomaly.

“I was speechless and upset,” Spaxman said. “We were so ready to go and then it was cancelled. We were so happy that they postponed the tournament.”

Similar to his friend, Elkin found it hard to hide both the excitement and disappointment that went hand-in-hand with having an opportunity available, then taken away, then

given back in the same week.

“We were excited for it,” Elkin said. “We couldn’t wait.” 

For the players’ parents, the opportunity available to them was important, but safety was the first concern.

“My first thought was that it was a great experience, but it wasn’t worth endangering the kids,” Tom Spaxman said. “We knew it would work out.”

Initially, Elkin’s father, Colin, had thought the team’s travel plans wouldn’t be effected by the volcano.

“I’d heard that it had cancelled flights to England, but we were flying to Germany so I didn’t think we’d be effected,” he said. “We had to plan so much for the trip. It was a lot of work and then all of a sudden it was cancelled. We’re very happy to be going in July.”

The World Selects is an annual tournament that brings together 16 representative teams from 10 countries for five days of round-robin play in front of hockey scouts.

Spaxman and Elkin were picked to play for the Cougar Selects of Ontario and this will be the first time they travel to a tournament of such magnitude. 

While the pair are excited about travelling overseas for hockey for the first time, they also want to make sure they show well on the ice. They want to come out of the experience as more experienced players, impress the scouts and grab some bragging rights while they’re at it.

“We want to be world champions at this level,” Spaxman said. “My dream is to eventually get a scholarship to Michigan State or Ohio State.”

Spaxman was scouted six times throughout his season with the AAA bantam Welland Tigers before he was named to the Cougar Selects. He knows he will have a good chance to improve his skills at the tournament.

“I just want to progress myself,” he said. “A lot of teams we’re up against will be very good.”  

Elkin, who plays for the Brantford 99ers, is also striving to play hockey at the NCAA level and believes the tournament will help him adjust to a faster style of hockey while tackling some tough opposition.

The pair will fly out with their team on July 18 and likely be joined by an entourage of family, providing
the weather co-operates this time around.

Welcome to the SelectsSportsTours.com

Robertson bound for Europe

Posted By PAUL SVOBODA THE INTELLIGENCER

Madison Robertson believes it is worth the investment.

Members of the East Coast Selects 1995 girls hockey team had to cough up more than $2,500 apiece to pay for the cost of an upcoming European tour. But the payoff could come later.

"My long-term goal is to obtain a college or university scholarship for hockey," said Robertson, a Grade 9 student at Moira Secondary School and rep team player in the Belleville Bearcats girls system.

"Every girl hockey player dreams of being on the Olympic team and so do I," she said. "I want to play at the highest level I can. But the goal I work toward and think of every practice is to get a scholarship."

And Robertson hopes the exposure she receives on the European junket will help to achieve that goal. Some day.

The Selects tour runs from May 2-11 and includes games in Italy, Austria and Hungary. A highlight is a match against the Hungarian senior women's national team which competes at the Pool C level in world tournaments. The Selects will also visit Paris.

The Selects roster features Canadian and U.S. players culled from tryouts, camps and tournaments held in Ontario, Quebec and New York.

Robertson has been skating since she was two years old and started playing hockey at the age of four. She enjoys many aspects of the game.

"Playing a physical sport that requires extra hard work and training is my favourite thing about hockey," said Robertson. "Being able to play a sport with others and work as team too."

Robertson believes her playmaking ability and "hard shot" are her best assets on the ice.

"I continue to work on a quicker release when I shoot," she said. "I also want to increase my quickness -- with and without the puck."

Robertson also plays soccer for the Belleville Comets and participates in hockey, rugby, volleyball and track at Moira. As well, she likes to get out on the links occasionally for a round of golf "with friends."

While Robertson harbours both short-and long-term goals in hockey, the best advice she ever got was to make sure she has fun each and every time she steps out on the ice.

"But," she said, "my Bearcat coaches -- Rob Bunton and Todd Robertson, my dad -- always say there's nothing more fun than winning."

Robertson is anxious for the Selects tour to begin and is excited about the overseas trip and the opportunity to compete against hockey players from other countries.

"I'll get to meet a bunch of new people, on my own team and the other teams," she said. "I don't really have any expectations. I'm just excited and looking forward to experiencing a different level of hockey during the trip."

Robertson was the second leading scorer on the Bearcats bantam AA team during the 2009-2010 Lower Lakeshore female hockey league regular season with 23 goals and 56 points in 57 games. She was one of 10 Bearcat players to compete at the 2010 Ontario Winter Games in March at Baysville in the Muskoka region.