First Showcase

Three or four times this season one of the AAA teams hosts a showcase. This is like a tournament, in that the teams play four or five games in a weekend against the Chicago teams in the league. This cuts down on travel by letting the teams play several games and avoid back and forth driving. Well our first showcase was last weekend and Belle Tire didnt do too bad, Devin did well. He played the two toughest teams, won one and tied the second best team in our league. Due to the coaches rotating goalies, Devin only had two of the five games. Peter Ward was at the showcase and watched both of Devins games, which Devin played very well. He moved the puck alot and was told by many that he is like a sixth defenceman on the ice. For his first year in AAA he is doing very well, having won 4, lost 2 and tied 2. His only losses so far have been against Honeybaked, the number one team in the country. We are hoping that he will start playing alittle more often, as the more he plays the better he gets. Right now he is playing once every two weeks, which for him is not enough.

More News.........

Well Devin received an email from Peter Ward of the NTDP. He is putting together an elite team of 95 age hockey players for the Jr. Chowder Cup tournament in Boston in July. He is asking 9 forwards, 6 defencemen and 2 goalies from across the country and our Devin is one of the goalies. He reported that it would be a good way to get to know the kids that he is considering as potential candidates for the program when they turn 16. Unfortunately this tournament is the same time as the Philadelphia tournament we went to last year, which Devin goes for free because he was an All Star last summer. We have pretty much decided to do the Chowder Cup though, because that is the program we are considering for Devin in the future. His options are numerous through this program, and many of the kids already in the program have verbally committed to Universities. College, OHL, USHL or directly into the NHL seems to be what this program produces.

Bench Brawl

Well the Nike Bauer tournament ended on a sour note. Our last game was against a Canadian team and we were ahead with 1:12 left in the third period. We get a penalty and are a man short. We get a break away and just before the player gets to the net he is pulled down by the other team and falls into the goalie. The goalie starts pounding on our player along with the kid who pulled him down. This sends our other players in to help. At that time the Canadian coach sends his whole bench onto the ice to fight. Needless to say our coach sends our kids out also and there is a brawl all over the ice, the refs lose control and its a mess. Devin did not join in, he skated over to the bench. Needless to say they ended the game, we got the win and the canadian team had to forfeit their next game. For our punishment we have to play our next three league games minus five players. Well you might as well forfeit each game because we are scheduled to play two of the toughest teams over the next two weeks. We will only have ten players on the bench and the poor goalies, (who werent even involved) will have to suffer for it. This team is made up of very undisciplined, hot headed boys, this is not the first time they have caused problems. Though I blame the coach for not having a tighter rein on these kids, he didnt have a lot of choice in this case as it was 20 against 4.

Bauer Invitational, Chicago

Well this past weekend was the Bauer Invitational in Chicago. Belle Tire did very well, winning three of their four games. We lost the first game; however, Devin was not in net, he won both of his and got a shutout to boot, his first in AAA. Peter Ward, the asst. director from the NTDP (who sent Devin the letter) was at the tournament, as was the goalie coach for the NTDP. He met and talked to Clarence, telling him that he would be watching Devin this year in several of his games. The NTDP goalie coach watched the game in which Devin received his shutout and was impressed. Devin played very well and moved the puck alot, helping get it out of the zone. BT also has a new assistant coach from Russia who talked to CLarence also. He told him that he had never seen a kid of Devins age that was so solid in net and was so athletic, he is amazed. He told Clarence that he would have definitely put him in net for the first game if it had been up to him. Unfortunately they are rotating goalies right now and it was the other goalies turn in net. In summary we did not move on because you had to win all your games. The team that beat us went on to take runner up in the tournament, they were very good. We still have alot to learn as a team, taking needless penalties is one of them. In this league you cant be a man short for most of the game and expect to win. For Devin this was a great weekend though and he is getting alot of exposure.

NTDP

Well it just keeps getting better. Last week Devin received a letter from the National Team Development Program based in Ann Arbor, MI. This is an organization that picks the best players in the country and then coaches, conditions and mentors them. The fact that he even got a letter is astounding, as they do not usually contact players until the end of their 15th year. Devin doesnt even turn 14 until the end of this month so it is quite an honor. The letter indicated that they had been watching Devins progress and liked what they saw, stating he has great potential. They requested a profile on him and a picture to keep in their records, as they will follow his progress throughout this season. They also indicated that they would like to meet Devin and his parents, introduce themselves and explain alittle more about the program. Devins current BT coach and his goalie coach indicated that this is huge for him. Needless to say, we are very excited and extremely proud of him.

The AAA Season Begins.....

Well the Belle Tire AAA season has begun and the practises are intense. Three times a week or more, depending on games. Devin's very first game was against the best team in the country and we lost; however, the score did not indicate how well Devin played. We scored first and Devin kept them in the game through the first period 1 to 0; however, he did not have alot of help and we ended up losing 7-1. He played the entire game because his coach said there was no reason to pull him, he did what he was supposed to and the team let him down. Well this team consists mostly of AA players so they needed to gel as a team and realize that this is a whole different type of game then they were used to. The second game was played against Little Caesars with the other goalie in net. We lost 3-1, though we should have won that game. Our third game Devin was in and we won against Compuware 7-1. Everyone seems to be real happy with the way Devin plays and think we will be the team to beat by the end of the season. At this level he will hone his goaltending skills and it will be up to him now, as to how far he can go.

National Camp

Well Devin has had a busy summer and it appears to have taken its toll. Though he began the NY camp number one in goaltending after his first two games, he ended up 18 out of 20. The coaches told him he was a really good goalie with great athletisism; however he needs to work on his rebounds and covering the puck as he is allowing too many shots one after the other. Considering he was playing with the best kids in the country he did well and (not to make excuses for him) he was not on a very good team. They had alot of independance at this camp, their dorm consisted of an apartment with three bedrooms, housing three kids per room. They stayed up late, ordered pizza and had a great time. But having three intensive weeks of hockey in a short time caused alittle loss of focus. Next year he automatically goes back to the Soo camp; however, should he make the NY camp again he will likely forego the Philadelphia tournament as it is too much in too short a time. Live and learn. He is now preparing for his two week camp at the end of August with his Belle Tire AAA team. It should be an interesting season.

Philly Tournament

Well the Philadelphia tournament was a great success. Devins team consisted of several of his Phantom teammates as well as a forward from Maryland, a defenceman from New York and a goalie from Arizona. They won six of their seven games and Devin played five of them. His G.A.A. was 1 and his Save % was .96. He won all-star awards in four of his five games and took team all-star overall which means he can return to Philly next year free of charge. The heartbreaking part of this story is that the team won all of their six games but lost in the championship game in double overtime. They had a grueling schedule prior to the championship, having played a game the night before, getting to bed at midnight. They had to turn around and be at the rink at 6 a.m. for the semi-final and play the championship before noon. Though the team played well, they had tired legs and during the three on three our defenceman stumbled. The shooter got around him and shot on Devin, who thought he had the puck under his pads. It ended up trickling past and across the line. It was a great week though, and Devin had a strong showing. Lots of interest in him, from an assistant New York Rangers coach to an international scout and two ex-NHLers who ran the tournament. Everyone thought he was an exceptional goalie, one of the best 95's in the country. He now heads to Rochester NY for the national camp for a week.

NY Roster Out

Well the NY National camp roster came out this morning and Devin made the Michigan Team. He was the only AA player to make the cut, the rest were all AAA and he is one of the top 2 goalies in Michigan. He will now go to Rochester NY July 8-14 where he will represent Michigan in this camp/tournament. There they will play other states kids who made their regional teams, such as MN, CA, etc. He is going to be busy the next few weeks as he leaves for Philly on Sunday, returning the following weekend, only to turn around four days later and head for NY. We are extremely proud of him for making it this far.

Soo Camp

Well Devin spent last week in Sault St. Marie at the selects hockey camp. They lived in the dorms of Lake Superior State Univ., had three meals a day and hockey, hockey and more hockey. He had a great time and did really well. There were four teams of 95 players, each with two goalies. They played two 23 minute periods with each goalie playing one period per game. Devins team won four of six games and he did not allow any goals in three of those games. He had one bad game, the whole team didnt play well, but did well in the rest. He was definitely one of the top three goalies there, looked good in the net, did well with the off-ice and loved the whole week. Devin thinks he made the NY team; however, there are alot of politics involved in hockey at this age. The list for who moves on will be out within the next few days and we will see how it goes. We leave for Philadelphia next Sunday for the AAA tournament. If Devin makes the NY camp the Williams will go to Philly without me, as I will go with Devin to NY. Should he not make the NY camp I will be going to Philly also. Stay tuned..................

A New Era Begins........

Well we have signed on the dotted line...........Devin is officially the starting goalie on the Belle Tire AAA team. The team looks great and will give the other four AAA teams a run for their money. The summer is open and the team begins the fall season with a two week intensive training camp in August. A conditioning handout was given to all the kids and they are to be ready for the camp by working out this summer. It hopes to be an exciting year. Once we have all the information I will supply websites to those who would like to keep track of the team. This move has caused major drama with the Phantoms, they are not happy for Devin at all. They feel he should have stayed with them another year, with no consideration to what this opportunity can do for him. Though it is a compliment to Devin that they dont feel they can do without him, they are not making this move any easier for us. We wish them the best next year.

News Flash......

While Devin was resolved to playing another year with the Phantoms, there came new developments. Though he did not try out for the Belle Tire AAA club, they called to have him come down for a practise, having heard about him and seeing him play at States. After watching him play they asked to have him commit to fall as the #1 goalie for the 95 AAA organization. Though only a verbal commitment has been given at this time, the new non-parent head coach and the goalie coach for the team want him to be their starting goalie. This is the opportunity we have been waiting for and though Devin loves the Phantoms, he and his dad feel he needs to go AAA to take his game to the next level. Belle Tire is currently #8 in the country and this is a perfect opportunity for Devin to help elevate the team to a higher standing, goaltending having been one of their weaknesses. Though a contract has not yet been signed, it is looking like we are leaning in the direction of going AAA, as an opportunity like this does not happen often. The other consideration is that this is the last year for the 95 age group alone, next year they combine the 95 with the 94's. Considering there are only five AAA clubs, all of the kids in both age groups will be vying for just a few spots. If Devin is not already entrenched in the system it will be almost impossible for him to get in.

Devin Makes The First Cut...

Well Devin found out today that he made the first cut for Selects. He will now go to the Soo for a five day camp on June 14th through the 19th. Here he will receive coaching, conditioning and play in scrimmages, all the while being evaluated for the next cut. We arent sure yet how many kids will be at this camp but they will only take a selected few to move on to the NY camp in July. He is the only Flint Phantom to make this cut, most of the rest of the kids who are going are AAA. We will have to find him ice time before the Soo camp to make sure he is ready, the spring season ends mid May.

AAA RESULTS

Well the AAA tryouts for VH and CW are over and once again Devin made it to the final cut. At VH they started out with 11 goalies and he was one of the last three called back. And once again he was cut on the last day. The CW AAA coach loved him and told him that he would be the third goalie for spring. The coach had already committed to two goalies for fall; however, the number 1 goalie was going to have heel surgery and would be unable to play most of the spring. This worked out perfect for Devin because he was going to return to the Phantoms in the fall anyway. Well after the CW goalies parents watched Devin at tryouts, they decided they would wait on the surgery for their son,(most likely worried they would lose their spot), so Devin was let go in the end. The coach told him he like him to attend some practises and a game or two if one of his goalies is not available though, same as last year, and for me this is getting very frustrating. In the meantime two other AA coaches have called to see if Devin was available to tryout for their teams. Since next year is a Nationals year, several coaches are putting together a team they hope can make it to Nationals and are looking for good goalies, but of course this is also the Phantoms plan. Phantoms have spring tryouts next week and hope to pick up some kids that can close the holes we had on the team this year.

END OF SEASON

Well the Flint Phantoms did not win States but they made a great showing. Winning two of their three games and making it into the semi-finals along with the top three teams in the state. They lost in the semi's to the team that ended up winning the State Championship, (the same team that beat them in LC Playoffs), not too shabby for a team that everyone thought belonged in division 3. Now its on to the spring season and Devin is going to AAA tryouts this week. He will hopefully make a team and double roster with the Flint Phantoms. It has already been decided that he will stay with the Flint Phantoms this next fall in order to make a run for Nationals next year. He is scheduled to try out for Selects at the end of this month, only the best three goalies in the state will move on so the competition is going to be tough. If he makes it he goes to a Selects camp in the Soo sometime in June and they will again compete for a national camp in NY during the summer. The purpose is to put an elite team together made up of the best players/goalies in MI. Its great exposure for him no matter how far he ends up going. The Philadelphia AAA tournament is in July and then it will be time to get ready for fall again...............its a year round endeavor.

One Down.................

Well the second round of the LC Playoffs was played yesterday against the #1 team in division 1. (Keep in mind we moved up from division 3 for playoffs, yet made it to the second round.) We lost 5-2 and this team made our defence look weak, which it is. Though Devin allowed five goals he played a great game, getting 40 shots on him. He was able to stop the first, second and sometimes even the third shot in a row; however, our defence did not help get the puck out of the zone and so five times it went in. Very frustrating because Devin was on his game and the team couldnt bail him out. Well now we have the State Championship this coming weekend. We play three teams and have to win two of the three to move on to the championship on Sunday. After this weekend the fall season is over and next week Devin goes down to LC AAA and VH AAA for tryouts. The following weekend is the Flint Phantoms tryouts. Devin will double roster this spring with the Phantoms and a AAA team, if he makes one.

District 5 Champions!

Well the Flint Phantoms have proven to one and all that they belong in division 1 next year. After winning Howe division 3 they were moved up to division 1 for the playoffs. Seven teams were in the division with four moving to round two. After winning 1 game and tying 3 games the Phantoms ended up third in the division and move on to round two within the next few weeks. During this time they were also playing for a district title the past two weekends, having to play three of four teams in district 5. After winning 2 games and tying 1, the semi finals were yesterday and Phantoms ended up beating Midland 8-1. The Championship game was played today against arch rival Flint Icelanders, who have won the division title the past four years. The game was close with the Icelanders scoring on Devin on a breakaway that kept the game 1-0 through two periods. In the third period the Phantoms were able to tie it up with three minutes left in the game, which sent it into overtime. Five minutes into the overtime the Phantoms scored and won the district 5 title. They now move on to the State tournament. (Devin was in net for all of the games in both LC and districts, as they had to pull the backup goalie in two of the games.) It has been an amazing season for this team, their overall record is 36-8-8. Devins GAA is 2.03 with a 93.5 save Percentage, which is great. We will see how we fare at States and LC Playoffs; however, if we do not make it any farther, it has been a successful season in my opinion.

Tournament Trouble

Well the Silver Sticks tournament is over and once again the Flint Phantoms laid an egg. They made it to the quarter finals before succumbing to the Wellend Tigers 3-2. Devin got a shutout the first game and the second game the back up was put in. After allowing 3 goals and with 6 minutes left in the game, down 3-2 Devin was put in. He held off a storm of bodies to allow his team to score and the game ended with a tie. The third game was played against a Calif. select team and Devin was again in net. It was a nailbiter game but the Phantoms persevered and won 3-2. Following the game the Calif. coach told Devin's coach that he had never seen a goalie who can play the puck like Devin, it was like having a sixth defencemen on the ice. He thought Devin was an awesome goalie. In the quarter final the team did not come to play and lines were changed constantly. Though we managed to tie the game with five minutes left, they came down and scored the winning goal almost immediately. It was very disapointing, considering the Phantoms could have beat this team. Now its on to Districts and LC playoffs.

Summary of The 2008/09 Season

Well the Little Caesar's regulation season is over and the Phantoms ended up winning their division. They went 13-1-0 with the only loss coming from the backup goalie. Devin's G.A.A. was 1.72 which is very good, (meaning he allowed less than 2 goals per game.). Including scrimmages and tournaments the team did great, going 32-7-3 and Devin's GAA was 2.07 with a 91% save percentage. All games were played with teams in their division or higher. They will be advancing to the number 1 division for playoffs so the games will get tougher and only four teams will advance. So the team is now getting ready for not only the playoffs, but districts, selects and silver sticks in Port Huron. The Phantoms have been invited to this tournament in thanks to their great play at silver sticks in Midland, where they lost the championship in overtime. They were ahead and should have won; however, they played the backup goalie first and he allowed two easy goals. When Devin was put in he only allowed 1 goal which tied the game and took it into overtime.