AAU junior Olympics and Junior Worlds

[McTrout!]

I guess i should fill you all in on these competitions. I dont know how many of you knew that these took place or that I was going but i did.

Great Britiain Under 18s entered the international and elite divisions of the AAU and the World Junior Championships. We didnt have a particullaly dazzling team this year which was disapointing because the previous years team was one of the best im seen and certainly the best iv played on. We came fourth in the international AAU and the World Juniors, again a disapointment because we mined bronze at the last two WJCs, losing to australia 5-1 and New Zealand 4-2 both had good teams but we drastically under performed as a team.

One thing of note about these competitions was the gear. I wear koho gloves and ******* pads the other goalie for GB wears ******* pads and missions gloves. I saw almost no Tour gear which was very suprising, the most popular manufacturer was Vaughn by a country mile with itech and mission both up there. Little, Koho, CCM or Brians from what i saw.

The tournaments were held in New Orleans in a huge convention centre, although the hockey was a dissapointment Bourbon Street is the most insane place i have seen. We had four days after hockey for free time and i barely drew a sober breath in them it was fantastic.

A little side note is that on the way back the guys voted me MVP which was a nice touch i thought i had played well i had some big saves and generally gave my team a chance although i had a few howlers aswell. Its good to know your team appreciates your effort.

If you guys have any questions or anything fire away.

[goblin]

Does the tournament have a website or something? How does anyone manage to lose to NZ?

[buffay34]

AAU, theres a lot of politics involved with them.... and they are a bunch of ********. They always schedule event the same time as other. This year, the OCblades and Anaheim Mission Bulldogs became apart of AAU, and left Narch, hoping that other owuld folow, but pretty uch no one did. And although Narch was missing about 50 teams that Oc and Anaheim would have drew in, this was still the biggest Narch ever.

AAU, although a major name and organization, is not #1 for rolelr hockey. Internationally, they are, but north american wise, no. I cant speak for other divisions, but in 16u, teams were sad, other than a select 1 and maybe 2, it was a B division in elite..... internatioanl world division is different

I was asked a few times to play for Team Usa South in 16u, i refused to..... even the GM of the team being the GM of my travel team then, i still said no.....

Next year, i plan on doing the team usa this time, where i am pretty much garenteed to be on team, #1 being i am best 16u roller goalie in southm and i ahev connections, wether the bad blood between us will come into affect then..... i will eb lookign forward to the world competition as i hear it is funa dn a learning expierience..... junior olympics ont he other hand.....ouch.....

also, in rolelr, you tend to see alot of velocitys pads, and mission.... itechs are rare, and you see the occasional brians beasts..... koho 580s are the only koho pads you see, as 590s work terribly on rolelr

[McTrout!]

NZ had a surprisingly good team id never seen them before. However like i said with a better team we would have whipped them. The other point of note here is that despite being starter throughout both tournaments i was started on the bench the other goalie was yanked at half time when it was 4-0 i shut them out and we scored 2 in the second. Obviously nobody can say if it would have made a difference but i know the team were real pissed off about it.

I dont know about all the politics i just went to play hockey, there was no conflict for me because i never intended to play narch it always seems like too much money for too little. Also in these events i got to represent my country and id rather do that.

[Goalie33Avs]

How the Koho gloves treating you McTrout?

I've still yet to pay your cheque in! lol. Its sitting in my wallet

[McTrout!]

quick someone mug him while he has money!

They are treating me very well indeed thanks. One particular glove robbery against australia will stick with me. There just great gloves all round solid protection first and foremost but with lightweight and solid manuverability.

[Goalie33Avs]

Glad you approve.

I'll have to let you know when I'm playing up north some time this season, so we can get together n chat.
Might as well seeing as we're in the same country and all! lol

[goblin]

Don't both of you guys play inline for the GB national team?

[Goalie33Avs]

Different associations have different squads that represent GB.

[Masked_Warrior]

man, i wish my team could have gone. Last season was my first season and we played in a qualifier, we finished dead last but I earned best goalie. The parents thought it as a waste to go, too bad, my team has improved so much and we would have had fun, but there is always next year. But you shouldnt be too hard on yourself. Just to make it ther is a huge accomplishment, and so is bieng mvp of your team, I was awaded team mvp at my qualifier, and even though the whole team could have played better I was just glad to play. Good Job though.

[McTrout!]

The one i play for which is BIPHA has made its Gb team open to all players and is the organisation accepted by FiRS as the official team. However the IIHF inline world championships has a seperate team run by former pro ice hockey goalie mark cavalin.

Yeh chris sounds like a plan!