The Sunshine Coast seems a million miles away these days for four young hockey stars. But that doesn't seem to be fazing them as Doug Saunders, Colin Page and brothers Joey and Ross Antilla are learning how to take hockey to the next level at one of the premier athletic institutions in Canada.
The Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Sask. has established itself internationally as a front-runner when it comes to athletic development both on and off the ice.
Through a balanced approach, Notre Dame has produced NHL, semi-pro, European, Olympic, NCAA and Canadian college hockey players at a huge rate. Some of hockey's most recognizable names are former Hounds, including Brad Richards and Vincent Lecavalier who led the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Stanley Cup last year.
The school has 13 hockey teams made up of Junior A and Junior B teams, two Midget AAA and five Midget AA as well as three Bantam teams, AAA, AA Tier one and Tier two and two female Midget teams.
Colin and Doug are playing for one of the Midget AAA teams, the Argos. They, along with the Hounds, play in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA league. Ross is with the Midget AA Tier one squad, and Joey is with the Bantam AA Tier one team.
All four boys are excited to be playing at Notre Dame and are relishing the experience.
"It's my first year here and so far it's pretty good," Doug said. "It's a big difference from back home. You learn a lot of good skills and meet a lot of good people. We don't have a chance to play a higher level of hockey on the Sunshine Coast.
"It was hard to leave friends and family at home, but here I have a chance for better hockey and post-secondary opportunities."
Playing a higher level of hockey combined with a quality education was also the reason why Colin chose to go to Notre Dame.
"Hockey in Saskatchewan goes to a lot higher level. There's no Junior A on the Sunshine Coast," Colin added. "This is a chance to get better schooling and play high calibre hockey. I love Notre Dame. We get lots of ice time every day and there's lots of off-ice training and stuff. This year my goals are to help my team improve and do my best to move on to junior after high school."
The Antilla brothers from Pender Harbour are no strangers to playing sports away from home.
Joey played for the Sunshine Coast Pee Wee team and the Vancouver Selects AAA team and as well travelled to Europe last summer.
"Notre Dame gives you a good chance to play hockey and be seen by scouts and teams," Joey said. "It's also a great educational opportunity and gives me a better chance for a post-secondary scholarship."
Ross added that he's had a positive experience so far.
"Hockey's been good so far, but I'm always looking to improve," he said. "The education's really good and the atmosphere is good overall, but dorm life can be difficult."
Ross said he's enjoying the hockey season but has his eyes on spring and signing up to play rugby.
He was a kicker on the Pender Harbour Secondary School rugby team last year and considers rugby his second sport.
"Rugby is almost at the same level of hockey - it's very important to me," he added.
In the 2003 NHL draft, seven Hounds were chosen. The Junior A team has averaged five to seven scholarships a year to U.S. colleges, and the Midget and Bantam AAA teams continue to be a major supplier of players to major Junior teams across Canada and Junior A teams in Western Canada.
"All of our teams play club hockey, with the exception of our senior female Midget team which plays only an exhibition schedule," said director of hockey operations Bill Gibson. "Notre Dame has won the provincials Midget AA the last four years and the Western Shield two gold and silver the last three years. The program as a whole continues to flourish."
The Coast contingent is hoping to one day be added to Notre Dame's impressive alumni list helping to continue Notre Dame's level of excellence.
