The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Current and former elite-level players mentoring Hornets youngsters continued from p.26 hockey program and a hopeful for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. Junior Hornets assistant coach Christina Mancuso is a former captain of the Ohio State Buckeyes. The head coaches of the peewee AA and bantam A teams, Carlee Eusepi and Stacey McConnell, played collegiately for Clarkson and Rochester Institute of Technology, respectively. Alyssa Baldin, assistant coach with the peewee A Hornets, is a member of the Canadian Women's Hockey League's Toronto Furies. "We have some of our former Hornets as well who have finished university and are now back in the system, like Erin Beaver (Carleton University)," said Turczyniak, acknowleding that the Hornets pay the coaches and mentors honourariums to cover out-of-pocket expenses such as gas and hotels. "At the end of the day, a girl wants to get taught by a girl. They don't want a 50- or 40-year-old guy telling them what to do. They want that young person or female influence to tell them what it's all about." Those female influences include the junior Hornets. This year, the association began inviting novice, atom and peewee players into the junior team's dressing room prior to games. The juniors are also practising occasionally with the bantams and midgets, giving the younger levels an early taste of the PWHL. "The way the (juniors) represent the Hornets and talk to the kids and invite them to be part of the whole family really makes the whole program stick. We never had that before," Turczyniak said. "We had probably 30 girls up there from the atom and Welcoming back former Oakville players As strong as the junior Hornets are this season, they could be even better next year. The association is optimistic it will continue to convince elite local talent to play in Oakville. Targets could include Lindsay Agnew, a Mississauga Chiefs forward who leads the PWHL in points per game (1.94), and Kristin O'Neill, the top scorer on Stoney Creek. "We could potentially have four or five kids in Oakville on the national team," Turczyniak said. The Hornets president said there has been debate at the board level about welcoming back players who once left the Oakville system, but he openly supports it. "People leave because (of their own reasons). It could be a family thing, who knows. You can't hold that against somebody," said Turczyniak, noting that Agnew never did play in the Hornets system. "You're allowed to go and come back. I can't speak for all my board members, but that's my view. It takes a lot of courage for someone to come back." "There's nothing better than having an Oakville player who has left the organization come back. I would love to see it," added Nyhuus. "As much as I'd love to see everyone stay in Oakville, I just know there's so much talent and only so many spots... If you leave, it's a personal choice, and I accept that. When they come back, there shouldn't be hard feelings, no judging, no questions should be asked. "Come on back and be proud to wear that Oakville jersey." -- Like, share or comment on Oakville Beaver sports stories on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HaltonSports 27 | Friday, December 12, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com The Hornets' Jaime Bourbonnais leads all Provincial Women's Hockey League defencemen in scoring this season. | photo by Eric Riehl -- Oakville Beaver @Halton_Photog peewee level who stuck around after watching the (juniors' win over Toronto last weekend.) They were interacting with players, taking pictures, hugging each other, all with their jerseys on. That's what it's about. It's that brand." "That's where it all starts," agreed Cochrane. "Grassroots up. My job as head coach of the program is to make sure we build up some of that excitement to want to stay in Oakville and see the value of the Hornets program in general and want to be one of the big girls one day." Blades continue hot streak The Oakville Blades won two of their three Ontario Junior Hockey League games last weekend to improve to 10-2-1 in their last 13 outings. Oakville lost 2-1 to the Kingston Voyageurs Friday at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex, defeated the Milton IceHawks 4-2 Saturday in Oakville and edged the Wellington Dukes 5-4 Sunday in Wellington. Max Lindsay scored the Blades' only goal Friday, when Oakville fired 38 shots at Kingston netminder Daniel Urbani. Brothers Tyler and Ryan Burns each had a goal and an assist Saturday verus Milton. Tyler Rollo and Sean Kohler added singles, and Brendan McGlynn made 27 No additional charge for evenings and weekends saves in net for the Blades. Josh Kosack tallied the game-winner Sunday, break9 locations to serve you better ing a 4-4 tie late in the second period after the Dukes had erased a 3-0 Oakville lead with four goals in a www.aireone.com 12-minute span. Christian Rajic scored twice and Kamil A+ RATING Tkaczuk and Kohler provided the Blades' other goals in support of winning goaltender Daniel Mannella. The Blades, who lead the South INC. Division with a 19-11-2-1 record, Your neighbourhood Sports and Support... will host the Mississauga Chargers tonight (Friday, 7:30 p.m.) before All In-Stock visiting Mississauga tomorrow (SatHockey GeAr Up to urday) and Kingston Sunday. Great Three Oakville residents, includChristmas ing Blades forward Ryan Garvey, were named to the Canada East Deals! team that will compete in the World All lAcroSSe Up to Jr. A Challenge tournament that begins this weekend in Saskatchewan. Aurora Tigers defenceman Callum Fryer and Cobourg Cougars follow us on twitter @clpsports1 forward Theo Lewis were the other local residents selected to the team. 1703 Lakeshore Road West, Mississauga www.oakvillebeaver.com Oakville Indoor Golf Centre Furnace Diagnostic Service only $ (905) 849-4998 Best Prices Guaranteed! 49 reg. $99 Oakville's BEST Indoor Golf Facility Now Open for a 10th Season! Indoor Play, Practice and Instruction in 5 PGA Tour Simulators Exceptional Regular and Corporate Pricing in a unique showroom setting Great Gifts for Golfers: - OIGC Gift Card Golf & Fitness Products at exceptional OIGC prices!! CLARKSON · LORNE PARK SPORTS off 45% 45% off www.oigc.ca 461 N. Service Rd. #20 & 21 (Just East of Fourth Line) 905-855-8225 905-469-3535