There’s no two ways around it, Westlock Bantam ‘B’ Warriors’ coach Tate McNelly has only one goal in mind for the Provincial Bantam ‘C’ tournament his team will be at in Rimbey this weekend.
“I go into everything thinking I’m going to win,” he said.
McNelly’s bantams will be in Rimbey on March 13-16, competing in the tournament they qualified for as Zone 3 champions by beating Hinton in late February by a score of 10-3 in the two-game, total-goals series.
Being at a provincial tournament is nothing new for McNelly, having coached teams to provincials at various age levels over the years. But for all but three of his players this year, it’s a new experience.
“I’m excited for the kids who haven’t gone before, just to see what their experience is like,” he said.
From his past trips to provincial tournaments, McNelly said the event is considerably different from simply rolling into a community, playing a game and heading home — the entire community develops its own atmosphere.
“The town is aware all these teams are coming to their community, so when teams are walking around town, people know about it and they’re asking the kids how they’re doing,” he said. “The kids get engulfed in the whole atmosphere.”
Crowds also tend to be larger, he said, especially when the home team is playing.
And, of course, it’s a tournament that will end with one team being named the provincial champion. No matter what level it is, it’s still a big deal, he said.
How the Warriors will do in Rimbey will ultimately come down to how much they want to be provincial champions, McNelly said. As much as the coaches can work with the kids, teaching them skills and how to navigate game situations, the players are the ones who decide who wins and loses.
“At the end of the day, what it boils down to is what team and what kids want it the most,” he said.
A team has got to want the puck and be willing to battle for it, he said.
“If our team is willing to do that based on our preparation, then we’re going to have a really good shot,” McNelly said. “There’s no reason why we don’t have a chance to win.”
And should the Warriors come out on the short end of too many scores, that’s OK, he said. So long as the players put in a complete effort every game.
