The road to the first season of Bow Mark Oilers Midget AAA hockey has very nearly been paved.
“We’re just happy to be a new product here in town,” said Bow Mark head coach Kevin Willison. “There is a lot of excitement for some young hockey players to get an opportunity to play at a high level and elite stream of hockey.”
Willison, fresh off a five-year stint behind the bench of the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs, came in with no preconceived notions of the players at his disposal for the first-year franchise in the Alberta Midget Hockey League.
“I’ve only been here a month and I’m just excited for the kids that are going to be here,” the coach added. “Right now, we have a long way to go. There are some kids here that have never played at this level so it’s all going to be a learning curve not only for myself, but for them too.”
The Oilers were granted a franchise in the spring after the Foothills CFR Chemicals Bisons zone was split in half giving Okotoks a team as well as moving the Bisons’ home base from Strathmore to Airdrie.
Despite the zone being split in half, there was no shortage of candidates for the Bow Mark squad.
Training camp saw 104 skaters from the sprawling draw zone tryout.
“The competition is hard this year. There are a lot of kids who are going to be fighting for spots,” said forward Nathan Bailer, an Okotokian. “I’ve really been impressed, there aren’t really kids who you can single out as guys who shouldn’t be on this team.”
Okotoks has a 2-2-1 record through five games of exhibition while carrying four goalies along with extra forwards and defencemen prior to making final cuts.
Two of those losses have come to the Calgary Buffaloes, one of the preseason favourites in the South.
“It’s certainly going to be a work in progress,” Willison said. “Hopefully every game these guys are going to get better and better. Just playing at the level, they’re going to get better. It’s up to us coaches to get them to learn and understand the game at a high level.
“Detail in our practice plan, detail in our game plan. You look at the Buffs, that’s our bar over there, they’ve been a great organization for a long time.”
The Oilers picked up their first win as a franchise in a 2-1 triumph over Lethbridge Friday at the Murray Arena. Bailer and Alistair Standen scored in the win.
“It’s pretty special being in the inaugural year,” Bailer said. “Last year playing AA in hometown, it was special playing in front of my friends and kids that go to my school. Now playing at the highest level possible in midget that’s something I’m definitely going to take to heart.
“Realistically, it’s different starting a new organization, but I think we will compete this year.”
Getting everyone on the same page could be the most challenging task for the new squad.
Players on the Oilers come out of the Okotoks, Foothills and Wheatland associations and many of the skaters have not shared dressing rooms before.
“There are a lot of people who don’t know each other so that’s probably going to be the hardest part,” Bailer said. “Especially in midget where you’ve got first year, second year, third year, so it’s a wide range.
“As long as we get leadership, that will be the biggest difference. The only way we’re going to succeed this year is if we truly play as a team throughout the entire year. It’s tryouts, everyone is trying to earn their spot, but as soon as final cuts are made everyone has got to come together.”
The Bow Mark Oilers first ever regular season game is set for Sept. 30 versus Lethbridge.
The season opener will feature an opening ceremonies. Puck-drop is 3:45 p.m. at Pason Centennial Arena.
For more information on the team go to ooaaoilerhockey.ca
