40 Sports Oakville Beaver 2006 United Way of Oakville Campaign Total amount raised OUR GOAL $ 44% 2.25 million United Way For more info: 845-5571 SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2006 The EDGE Local trio selected for Jr. camp Two forwards, goalie vying for spot on hockey squad IN SYNC: Adriana Ozymtchak (middle) appears to be looking into the crowd for support during her Oakville EDGE Pre-Juvenile team's performance Sunday, part of the EDGE's annual Christmas Show at River Oaks Recreation Centre. The event featured the full spectrum of synchronized skating, from the Oakville Intro-toSynchro to the internationallyranked teams from FUSION. ASHLEA WESSEL / SPECIAL TO THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Three Oakville players will be vying for a spot on Canada's entry in the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championships. John Tavares of the Oshawa Generals, along with Sam Gagner and Steve Mason of the London Knights, are among the 38 players invited to Hockey Canada's tryouts Dec. 10-15 in Calgary. The Oakville players are among nine first-time invitees to the evaluation camp, which will be used to narrow the field to a final roster of 22. Tavares, who leads the OHL with 29 goals, is the youngest player invited to the camp. If he were to make the team he would join a select group that includes Wayne Gretzky, Eric Lindros, Jason Spezza, Jay Bouwmeester and Sidney Crosby as the only 16-year-olds to play for the Canadian juniors. "I'm a little relieved," Tavares told the Canadian Press Monday night. "At the same time, I'm very excited and I have to prepare myself for a lot of hard work." "There's such a short period of time and you have to impress a lot, especially at my age," continued the former St. Thomas Aquinas student. "I have to show that I belong on the team." Gagner, an OHL rookie who shares the league lead in points with 60, is one of only three 17year-olds to be invited to the camp. Mason, a second-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets, will face tough competition in net, going up against three first-round picks: Carey Price (Montreal), Jonathan Bernier (Los Angeles) and Leland Irving (Calgary). "I've done everything I can so far to get invited," Mason said last week. "However the cards fall, I'll be happy." Canada has seven returnees from last year's gold-medal winning team coming to the tryout. The tournament opens Dec. 26 in Sweden. Another OHL accolade for Tavares It was quite the week for John Tavares. In addition to learning that he has been invited to the national junior team selection camp, Tavares earned first-star honours in three straight games to earn the Ontario Hockey League's player of the week award. The Oshawa Generals sniper racked up six goals and seven assists in three games, vaulting him to fourth in the OHL scoring race and giving him a league-best 29 goals. The Oakville native had a goal and three assists in a 6-5 shootout win in Ottawa and then had two goals and three assists as the Generals completed the home-and-home series sweep with an 8-2 win. He finished the week with three goals and an assist in a win over Kingston. Tavares is currently riding a 10-game point streak, matching the best streak in the OHL this season. He has also scored in eight straight games. Tavares is the third Oakville player to win the OHL award this year. Sam Gagner and Justin Donati each won the award in October. LEGENDARY COACH ANSON DORRANCE COMING TO TOWN IN FEBRUARY TO RUN CLINIC DATE: February 17th, 2007 TIME: 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. LOCATION: Oakville Sports Center (The Dome) COST: OSC Members - Before December 18, 2006 - $40 s After December 18, 2006 - $55 Non-Members - $75 s Registration Deadline: Wednesday, February 7, 2007 All participants must pre-register, there will be no registrations accepted after February 7th . Payment accepted by cheque, cash, credit card or debit at the Oakville Soccer Club. Credit card payments will be accepted by telephone 905-849-4436 x21. Register early space is limited FOOD & TOY DRIVE! WE ASK YOU TO DROP OFF NON-PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS AND/OR NEW TOYS TO THE CLUB. TEAM DONATIONS ARE MOST WELCOME! 2007 ADVANCE REGISTRATION FOR RETURNING MEMBERS & SIBLINGS COMING SOON!! CONTACT: jneefs@oakville-soccer.on.ca for 2007 Outdoor Sponsorship Opportunities!! 504 Iroquois Shore Rd., Unit #11, Oakville, ON L6H 3K4 Tel: 905-849-4436 Fax: 905-849-3677