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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, December 18, 2013 | 18 Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sixteen-year-old Ben Blacker turning heads as OJHL goalie by Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver Staff Ahead of schedule Sports "Connected to your Community" Matheson, friends to instruct all ages at OSC soccer clinic Soccer enthusiasts eight years of age and older will soon have the opportunity to learn the game from three of Canada's best. Oakville Soccer Club alumnus and Olympic women's soccer hero Diana Matheson will headline a pair of soccer clinics hosted by the OSC Dec. 29-30. Matheson, who scored the dramatic game-winning goal for Canada in the dying minutes of the 2010 Olympic bronze-medal game in London, will be Diana Matheson joined at the clinics by fellow Canadian national women's team member Robyn Gayle and recently-retired national teamer Melanie Booth. The workouts, titled Diana and Friends Holiday Clinics, will take place at OSC's Pine Glen Soccer Centre (1520 Pine Glen Rd.) Dec. 29 from 12-3 p.m. and Dec. 30 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. "OSC is proud of our national athletes, and we are thrilled to present this type of opportunity to players in the community. The chance to learn and play with professionals doesn't present itself every day," said Dave Harris, OSC executive director. "We hope that players of all ages will take advantage of this opportunity." The cost of the clinics is $90 per player and includes a meet and greet, on-field training and an opportunity for autographs and photos with Matheson, Gayle and Booth. Space is limited. To register or for more information, visit www.oakvillesoccer.ca. It wasn't much of a stretch, really. For years, Ben Blacker had watched his dad guard a net, so his interest in taking up residence in the blue ice shouldn't have come as a surprise. "I was always kind of interested in playing net," said the Milton IceHawks goalie. "We had a big door and I'd stand in front of that wearing the mini-stick hockey pads and mom would take shots on me." It didn't take long before Ben was asking his tyke hockey coach if he could fill in when the team's goalie missed practice. His dad had reservations, though. He knew the pressure associated with being the last line of defence. But standing in front of pucks was in the Blacker blood. Eventually, the requests became so frequent that the coach told Ben's dad to give him a chance. Following the season, Ted Blacker signed his son up for goaltending lessons and the next year, the transformation was complete. In just his second season, Ben backstopped the Oakville Rangers novice AA team to the Ontario Minor Hockey Association championship. It was the first of four titles he would win in Oakville, including two undefeated seasons and an Ontario Hockey Federation silver medal. Blacker played in two more OMHA finals after moving to the Brampton minor hockey association in bantam and began attracting the attention of Ontario Hockey League Milton IceHawks goaltender Ben Blacker dives to smother a loose puck during an Ontario Junior Hockey League game against the North York Rangers. Blacker was one of only two 16-year-olds to play for Canada East at the recent World Jr. A Challenge and is one of two non-Ontario Hockey League players who will compete in the upcoming World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. | photo by Phillip Sutherland / OJHL Images scouts. His play also earned him an invitation to the NHL Players' Association All-State Mentorship Camp in 2012 where he worked with recently retired goalie Marty Biron, who shared his experience and offered tips. Blacker also had the opportunity to face shots from his camp team's coach, Taylor Hall of the Edmonton Oilers. "Words can't describe it," Blacker said. "To meet all those unbelievably talented players and be mentored by all those phenomenal coaches -- it gives you a better idea of what you need to do to prepare to be at your peak, and what you have to do to reach the next level." While most of the graduates of that camp have moved on to the OHL, Blacker's parents wanted him to explore all of his options. That same summer, Blacker went on a trip to visit five U.S. colleges. The trip was designed to give players a taste of what college hockey would be like, affording them the opportunity to play some exhibition games in college rinks. Blacker made an impression on Rob Facca, Western Michigan's associate head coach. Facca continued to follow the goalie's progress. Midway though Blacker's OHL draft year, Facca called to offer a full scholarship to Blacker, who was in Grade 10 at the time. Those early goaltending sessions with his mom, Sabine, not only started Blacker on see Blacker on p.19 OAKVILLE BLADES VS. GEORGETOWN RAIDERS Friday, December 20th at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex Puck Drops at 7:30pm Adults $7, Students/Seniors $5, Kids FREE LOCAL JUNIOR A HOCKEY AT ITS BEST!