The mark of a good hockey team isn't always simply wins and losses.
Results may be king in major junior hockey or the professional leagues, but when it's young kids out on the ice, having fun is the first priority.
So even though the Boyle Blazers atom hockey club fell short of winning the 'B’ championship at their host tournament on Saturday, they could still call the event a success.
“I think they played great all weekend," said Boyle coach Jeff Scammell, who watched his team play four games on Friday and Saturday (with another set for Sunday).
The win in the 'B' final (a 4-3 shootout loss to Athabasca) might have eluded them, but there were still plenty of smiles and laughs amongst the team afterwards as they enjoyed some hard earned pizza.
Scammell and his fellow coaches have been trying to teach more than hockey skills this season.
"Sportsmanship, teamwork, dedication, hard work. That's what we're looking for," he said. "You've got to work hard if you want to get better."
With a group of young players that have just started to learn the game (including two that played their first hockey this season) improvement has been constant.
"We have come a long way. They're all learning new skills," said the coach.
And that's what it's all about for this young team.
"We just want them to get out there, have fun and enjoy the game."
