www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, February 20, 2015 | 22 Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com The 18th Man After paying for Ugandan boy's surgery, minor bantam AAA Rangers encourage other teams to take up similar causes by Jon Kuiperij Beaver Sports Editor Sports "Connected to your Community" The typical minor hockey rep team, at least at the younger age levels, limits itself to 17 players. Carrying two goalies, six defencemen and nine forwards is enough to offset the occasional injury or absence while still ensuring a reasonable amount of playing time for everyone. This season, the Oakville minor bantam AAA Rangers have 18 people on their roster. But it's for a very good reason. The Rangers' 18th man doesn't take away ice time from anyone. He also doesn't score goals or prevent them. In fact, it's safe to assume he's never put on skates in his life. He is, however, a source of great inspiration and joy for a team looking to repeat as South Central Triple A league champions this year. The 18th man is named Michael, a 10-year-old boy from Uganda. And he needed the Rangers a lot more than they needed him. Developing young men, not just players "Community hockey is more than just winning. It's about developing good hockey players, but even more important is developing good young men," said Rangers assistant coach Kyle Morrison. "There's a saying that coachable kids make employable adults. Myself and two other members of our coaching staff are grads of Minor Oaks (Hockey Association), and we credit a lot of our success as young professionals and people to what we learned from coaches and teammates in the locker room." So the seed was born to look for ways the players -- who already commit approximately 20 hours per week to rep hockey during the season -- could give back to their community. It began with the Rangers' participation in the Oakville Terry Fox Run last September, when players donated their own money and ran the five-kilometre race. It continued with the team serving hot meals to impoverished and low-income Flanked by his teammates, Oakville minor bantam AAA Rangers captain Alton McDermott holds up a sign of support for 10-year-old Ugandan boy Michael (pictured below), who the Rangers adopted as their 18th teammate this season and paid for surgery to mend his broken leg. Other members of the Rangers are Ben Doherty, Will Thomas, Bradley Somers, Nicholas Beaupre, Zach Gardiner, Mark Mazzaferro, Adam Tucci, Thomas Nasato, Keelan Froats, Kieran Drover, Jacob Pokocky, Clark Hiebert, Aleisha Song, Ryan Schoonderwoerd, Austin Strom and Ethan James. | Top photo by Eric Riehl -- Oakville Beaver -- @Halton_Photog / Bottom photo submitted people at Kerr Street Ministries in October. And it culminated with the Rangers' 18th Man Project after team parent Dean Hiebert introduced the squad to One4Another, a charity that helps injured and sick children in Uganda receive surgeries they otherwise would not be able to afford. At the Rangers' recent Christmas party, rather than giving presents to each other, they collected $500 for One4Another. The money paid for surgery on Michael, who the Rangers adopted as their honourary teammate after he broke his right femur (the large bone in the thigh) and had been bed-ridden for weeks. Within five days of the Rangers' donation, One4Another cofounder Glenn Pascoe shared a YouTube video of Michael -- having already received the surgery -- and his mother thanking the team for its help. see Without on p.23 Register Now Oakville Little League - 2015 Youth Baseball Registration Register Now Division Age Blastball 4 T-Ball 5-6 7-8 T-Ball Minor A 8-9 Minor AA 10 Minor AAA 11 Major 12 Int / Junior 13 - 14 Senior 15 - 17 Big League 17 - 20 WHERE: OAKVILLE LITTLE LEAGUE FIELDHOUSE, 425 Cornwall Road WHEN: SATURDAY, February 21st & February 28th 9:00AM to 3:00PM Oakville Little League offers: The largest youth baseball organization in Oakville. The highest caliber, fun and fair-play house leagues. Grass infields, pitching mounds, outfield fences & dugouts for ages 9 & up. The only All-Star program to compete in Big League, Senior, Junior & Little League World Series play downs. Fees include: Major League replica uniform, individual & team photos. Proud Sponsor of Oakville Little League For more information call 905-827-1831 or register online at www.ollb.org