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36 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2007 Canadian champion Buzz ready to rebuild By Jon Kuiperij number of talented local players to fill the open spots. We will be young. However, we will also be skilled and athHaving played on the inaugural letic, so we are confident we will be very Oakville Buzz squad in 2001, Stuart competitive." One of those players, Josh Ruys, has Brown knows about having to build already signed on to play Jr. B in Oakville from the ground up. He'll likely rely on some of that expe- this summer. So has Spencer Taugher, rience this upcoming season as, due to who played a number of seasons with graduation of some and probable the Oakville Hawks before taking the past two years off from the advancement to Jr. A by sport. others, the Buzz will field "We will be young. Both players drew siga drastically different team However, we will nificant interest from Jr. A from the one that won a also be skilled and clubs, with Ruys going national Jr. B lacrosse athletic, so we are third in last month's Jr. A championship in 2006. draft, but have opted to But, the new Oakville confident we will be play this season in their head coach points out, very competitive." hometown. there should be a major "Josh is definitely one difference between this Oakville Buzz of the top 1990-born kids year's club and the one GM Ken Gillies in the province. He's big that took the floor seven and strong, possesses real good hands years ago. "I think we will have a lot more tal- and was our top finisher last year (with ent. We were a bit more mix and match the midgets)," Gillies said. "Spencer is a back then (in 2001)," Brown said with a big and strong kid that is really quick laugh. "It's sort of reminiscent; I think and can play anywhere on the floor. He's a good checker, runs well, can score and it's a new era, definitely." Brown and new Buzz general manag- is good at getting loose balls -- a real er Ken Gillies have targeted a .500 sea- complete player." Former Buzz defender Craig son as a realistic goal for 2007, primarily due to a talented group of Oakville Henderson and ex-Toronto Rock player Minor Lacrosse Association products Wayne Burke will round out the Oakville coaching staff this season, replacing the that the two are very familiar with. Five players have graduated from last departed Glen Little -- now general year's OMLA midget team, which manager of the Buzz's Jr. A affiliate, the reached the provincial semifinals, and Burlington Chiefs. Buzz hopefuls are already working on are already participating in Buzz pretheir conditioning several times a week season workouts. "Oakville midget teams have placed at Velocity Fitness in Burlington, in in the top five in the province for the last addition to open workouts each four years," said Gillies, who coached the Saturday in Hamilton. The club will hold its tryouts next midgets last year and will do so again this season. "As a result, there are a month. BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR OAKVILLE BEAVER FILE PHOTO BUILDING BLOCK: Josh Ruys, pictured playing his one regular-season game with the Oakville Buzz last year, is one of the young local players the Jr. B lacrosse team will build around this season. MLB Pitch, Hit and Run competition coming to Oakville Young baseball players in Oakville will soon have the opportunity to see how their pitching, hitting and running measures up with the rest of North America. Oakville Little League will host the local round of the Major League Baseball Pepsi Pitch, Hit and Run competition May 12, a contest open to all children in Oakville regardless of whether they play in Oakville Little League or not. The official skills competition of Major League Baseball, Pitch, Hit and Run is designed for ball players age 7-14. Participants will pitch to a strike zone target from a 45-foot distance, hit off a tee for distance and accuracy, and race in a timed sprint from second base to home plate. Competition is divided into four age divisions: 7/8, 9/10, 11/12 and 13/14. There are four rounds to the event, including the Toronto Blue Jays Team Championships at Rogers Centre and the Pitch, Hit and Run Finals at the 2007 MLB All-Star Game in San Francisco. Individual pitching, hitting and running champions at the Oakville event, as well as the all-around champions in each age group, will advance to sectionals. "The mission of Pitch, Hit and Run is to encourage youth participation and emphasize the fun element of baseball competition," said Oakville Little League president John Sweeney. "It is also a great opportunity for the youth of Oakville to showcase their baseball skills." More than 560,000 youth across North America are expected to compete in this year's event. CANLAN ICE SPORTS ­ OAKVILLE ASHL SPRING-SUMMER SEASON 2007 Men's & Women's Divisions Early Bird Registration Incentive! Season begins April 29th REGISTER TODAY 905-845-6989 www.icesports.com