Recruitment Package

Blind River Beavers

Player Recruitment Package 2020-2021

All information on this page is easily accessed through this PDF document: Recruitment Package

COACH'S PHILOSOPHY
Although the game has changed a bit over the years I am still a firm believer in if you’re good in the defensive zone it means you will spend less time there and more time in the fun zone (offensive).
I believe in keeping possession and not dumping the puck in, if you have control then the other team can’t score.
I believe that you need to be good 5on5 and even better with the man advantage or shorthanded.
I believe that as a coach it is my job to maximize the talent and potential of the players on my team.
I believe that you practice as you play, our practices will be short, hard and require focus from our players.
I believe that you can never replace hard work or determination- not skill or luck, the harder you work the luckier you get. Hard work is not a request it’s a requirement.
I believe in character, honesty, respect and commitment to yourself, the team and the game.
I believe in discipline and the ability to put the team’s goals and objectives, both on and off the ice, ahead of your own.
I believe that any team has the ability to have success if they buy in, respect the game, themselves and the logo on the front of the jersey.
EXPECTATIONS OF PLAYERS
All players will be held to both a high level of standards and accountability
Players will be required to compete day in day out, both on and off the ice
Players are required to wear a suit and tie to all games
Players will act in a professional manner on the ice, at team functions and at community events
Players in school will be required to maintain a minimum average as decided by the coaching staff
Players will be at games two hours prior to puck drop
Players will be at practice thirty to forty five minute before
Players will follow nutritional guidelines as laid out by staff
Players will abstain from drugs and alcohol
Players will be required to be in peak physical condition throughout the season
Players will treat volunteers, staff and the community with respect
Players will be required to attend community events on a regular basis
EXPECTATIONS OF STAFF
  • Staff will act in a professional manner at all times
  • Staff will be required to have open communication with players
  • Staff will realize attitude is contagious and will teach and coach in a positive manner
  • Staff is responsible for the wellbeing of all players
  • Staff will correspond with teachers
  • Staff will correspond with billet families
  • Staff will put the team above everything
  • Staff will guide and mentor all players both on and off the ice
  • Staff will be required to be prepared for all opponents, including game film and research
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
The Blind River Beavers will be seen and carry a positive image in the community of Blind River. This will include attendance at festivals, schools and other community events. In small towns there is the ability to rally the community around the local hockey team and that is exactly what we want to accomplish. The community has thrived around the Beavers and Barons in the past, we plan on doing this by having local players, a strong community involvement and a positive image overall.
TEAM IDENTITY
Creating an identity is something that we will speak to every day; we will define that and work towards it. The identity needs to be broken down and created to each player and how that player is going to contribute. We will not fool ourselves, hockey is a tough game and it’s very difficult to win, we need to embrace our struggles and revel in the process of building our own identity.
Building Beaver Hockey…..
THE PRO LIFE
The players who are not attending school and those who are not working will be required to participate in daily activities known as "the pro life".

Report to Gym at 9:00am: A workout program will be provided and monitored by team staff

Report to Team Video at 11:00am: Game film and other clips to be shown at this time

Lunch at 12:00pm: Players will report home for lunch at this time

Volunteering / Community Event / Post-Secondary School Prep 1:30pm: Player will be doing one of the three in the afternoon

The purpose of the pro-life is to get players up and out of bed, when players sit around all day and do nothing their on ice performance is affected. We are not only in the business of developing hockey players but developing young men who are prepared to tackle school, the workforce or whatever they decide when their playing days are over.
Playing Junior Hockey is a privilege not a right………………

THE BEAVERS
All Beavers home games and all practices are in Blind River Memorial Community Center. In addition to pre-season, regular season, and play-off dates, the Beavers practice five times a week at regularly scheduled times. The Beavers also workout four times a week with the teams conditioning coach. Players receive a free gym membership to our local recreation center as soon as the players report for the upcoming season, we then are able to provide our players with their full regular season hockey schedule, plus practice times. We believe that school work is critical, and support our players at every opportunity to meet and exceed their educational objectives while working with our educational director. We further believe that our club isn’t just about playing hockey. We strive to position our players to become productive citizens in our community. Over the course of the season, our players can be seen supporting a number of community events. Further, we look to have our players put back into minor hockey, by participating in minor hockey practices and events. We believe we are not only developing hockey players but young men.
BEAVER ALUMNI
The Blind River Beavers continue to develop and send players to the next level including NCAA Division 1, NCAA Division 3, CIS, OHL and the NHL.
NCAA Division 1 (9)
NCAA Division 3 (35)
CIS (4)
OHL (4)
NHL (2)
NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
A Canadian Junior ice hockey league and member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Northern Ontario Hockey Association. The winner of the NOJHL playoffs competes for the Dudley Hewitt Cup with the winners of the Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Superior International Junior Hockey League. The winner of the Dudley Hewitt Cup then moves on to compete for the Royal Bank Cup. The current incarnation of the NOJHL comprises twelve teams located in Ontario. With teams in Powassan, Rayside-Balfour, Sault Ste. Marie, Sault Ste. Marie (Michigan), Blind River, Hearst, Cochrane, Kirkland Lake, Espanola, Noelville, Elliot Lake, and Timmins the league is spread across the southern region of Northeastern Ontario.
WELCOME TO BLIND RIVER, ON
A gathering spot of choice for our Ojibway neighbours and friends since the early 1600’s, Blind River was incorporated in 1906 on the Trans-Canada Highway 17, halfway between Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie. Our friends and visitors arrive via the TransCanada Hwy, or the full service Blind River Marina on the world famous cruising waters of the Lake Huron’s North Channel. Blind River enjoys a unique waterfront heritage being located on Lake Huron’s North Channel at the mouth of the Blind River and the Mississauga River. The community is well known for its logging history, and has become a destination of choice for outdoor enthusiasts and festival seekers alike with year round activities arts and cultural activities and access to endless trails and vast wilderness. With a good selection of accommodations from motels to remote cabins with packages available, visitors can take their time to enjoy what the area has to offer. Enjoy the great outdoors at the interpretive hiking trails, natural sand beaches, tennis courts, 18-hole golf course or explore the limitless opportunities for fishing, hunting, canoeing/kayaking boating and winter sports with the wilderness right at our door step. For the cultural enthusiasts, take in the history of the area through a museum or walking tour starting from the Timber Village Museum and Northern Ontario Logging Memorial. Cultural entertainment is continuous with art shows, music in the parks, big screen theatre at the Alain Bray Auditorium, and community festivals and events happening throughout the year making the community a favourite for family excursions and culture and recreation day trips.
BILLET POLICY
Without billet families the Blind River Beavers could not ice a team. It is difficult for a Junior A hockey player to move away from home. Billet families make this transition easier by welcoming players into their homes. We take the utmost care to ensure our players are placed in environments that are conducive to care, understanding and safety. It is important that the player respects the rules of his host family and the host family respects the rules of the hockey club. The values and principles for success that are essential to become a member of the Blind River Beavers will be demanded at the rink, in the home, in the community and in school. When a family volunteers to house a member of the team, they are required to provide room and board for the player.

We are striving to develop a group of billet families that will continually be this stable home while our players are part of the team. Having these billet families will allow us to draw talented players from all over Canada and the United States. These boys range in age from 16 to 20, will be attending high school, college or university and may hold part time jobs while they live in our city and represent our team while pursuing their hockey dreams.

In most cases, very strong bonds are made between the player and his billet family as well as the player's family. These relationships will often carry on for years after the player has graduated from the team. Often billet families can be seen following "their" player in his future career in college, semi-pro or pro. Our players will be great role models for younger children in the billet home demonstrating hard work and determination to achieve tough goals.

Expectations of Billet Host:
1. Provide 3 nutritious meals and snacks to the player. Meals should be wholesome and varied. Flexibility on behalf of billets and players is needed in this area. Players do not need to eat steak every day. Billet parents should talk with the player and determine his preferences in foods and time to eat. Pre-game meals are important. On average, players should eat 3-4 hours before a game, but this may vary. If no one is home and the player cannot prepare his own meal then plans to reheat a meal should be made.
2. Support, communication and understanding are vital. The key to success will be communication. Make sure you talk to your player about expectations. Things that are not acceptable in your home may have been in theirs. Unless addressed, little things may develop into big problems.
3. Players are not permitted to leave the town without permission from the Coach/General Manager.
4. If you are going away for vacation, please notify the General Manager and accommodations will be provided for your player.
5. Arrange long distance phone calls with your player, as payment will be their responsibility.

Expectations of Player:
1. Respect the billet family and their generosity
2. Your billet family's belongings should always be treated with utmost care.
3. Be pleasant, courteous and helpful at all times.
4. Long distance phone costs will be your responsibility.
5. Players are to stay at their own billets home each night unless they have been given specific permission from the coaching staff. If this has been arranged you must notifyyour billet family.
6. Please inform your billets if you will not be home for dinner.
7. Please keep your room tidy and clean.
8. It is not an expectation for a billet family to supply you with a computer.

Courtesies:
1. When you are going to be late coming in from road trips, practices etc., make every effort to be as quiet as possible.
2. When you are going to miss dinner, or be late for dinner, please call billets, so we can make alternate arrangements.
3. Make sure when your using laundry, washroom, or kitchen facilities, you clean up after yourselves.
4. Be aware of the billet family, and their rules, dinner times, rest times, schedules, etc.

Team Fees:
Team fees for the year are $4,500, This includes an $1,100 equipment packagealong with the league fee of $1,300. The remaining cost goes towards travel andmeals along with other team expenses. You will find this is one of the lower feesnot only in the league but in Ontario as well.
Billet Fees $450 a month, payment is to be arranged with the billet family theplayer is staying with.

BEAVER STAFF
Kyle Brick - Head Coach/General Manager
In his first year as Head Coach Brick lead the Beavers to their first winning season in multiple years, Brick guided the team to the NOJHL Championship Series and set the franchise win record with 32. Brick was also named NOJHL Coach of the year for his efforts. In his second year as Head Coach of the Beavers the success continued with yet another franchise record for wins with 33.
Former Assistant Coach of the Soo Thunderbirds, Brick helped lead the team to back-to-back regular season titles in 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 along with a Dudley Hewitt Cup Championship and the clubs 2nd Royal Bank Cup appearance. The 30-Year-old Thessalon Native also served as the Head Coach of the St Mary’s Knights leading them to back-to-back league and playoff titles along with a NOSSA Championship in 2013.Craig Macdonald - Director of Player Personnel/Assistant General Manager
Hailing from Thessalon, Craig is a student of the game who has an eye for evaluating talent. Craig also has extensive knowledge when it comes to analyzing players and recruitment. Craig is respected throughout junior hockey as one of its best recruiters.Jamie Disano - Goalie Coach
From Sault Ste Marie Jamie Disano and his Elite Post to Post team have joined the Beavers to bring the most cutting edge training in Goaltending today. Post to Post training facility is second to none in Northern Ontario and is a pivotal part to the development of Beaver Goaltenders.Lisa Carricato - Mental Health Coach
Lisa has spent the last 12 years working for CMHA Sault Ste. Marie and over 20 in the Mental Health field. She understands the unique pressures that NOJHL players are living with. She will be meeting with all of the players at the beginning of each season to explain her role with the team and to provide some important training about Mental Health and Suicide Alertness. Lisa also is the Mental Health Coach for the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League.

Kaitlynn Good - Team Liaison Officer
Kaitlynn is a veteran of the Ontario Provincial Police Force, Kaitlynn will act as a liaison between the team and the community. Todd will be presenting drug and alcohol presentations to the players and staff along with social media tips and advice.

BLIND RIVER MEMORIAL COMMUNITY CENTRE - AKA: THE DAM
The Blind River Arena is one of the most modern facilities of its kind in Northern Ontario. Home to the Blind River Beavers and the Blind River Minor Hockey Association the arena is located in the very scenic marina district of the community.
State of the art dressing room, which stands alone as the best in the NOJHL. The facility includes separate rooms for the coaches, trainers and players.
This dressing room also includes laundry, kitchenette and equipment room to benefit the player’s daily lives.
TRAVEL
For our road games, the Beavers charter our bus service with AJ Bus lines, which provides us with top notch, safety inspected, DVD equipped, Coach Buses. We do not use a volunteer or team official to drive the bus for our team. Rather we hire an independent, professional driver, whose only responsibility is to ensure the safe transportation of our team.
Almost all of our bus trips are for games either Friday or Saturday evenings, thereby reducing the impact on school. Our bus trips are mostly “same day” trips with the exception of two east division trips to Kirkland Lake, Hearst, Timmins and Cochrane.
Players meet at the team locker room and load their bags directly onto the bus. Following the games, the Beavers have a meal delivered to the bus for the player’s enjoyment on the ride home.