Cougars look to build on recent success

Opportunities are earned, not given.

That’s the mantra fourth-year head coach Tanner Lewis preaches each season with the Southwest Cougars U18 AAA squad, and when training camp begins today, that sentiment may be more important than ever.

The Cougars will begin main camp with roughly 48 players, the largest total the club has had in several years. Lewis, who’s been coaching in the organization for more than six years, said he expects nothing but a battle right up until the final roster is put together on Sept. 20.

“It’s going to be very competitive,” said Lewis on Thursday. “We’re excited to see what shapes up and who steps up.”

In a year they expected to be fighting just to make the playoffs, Southwest notched a 26-16-6 record and a fifth-place finish in the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League standings — while also sweeping the higher-seeded Winnipeg Thrashers in a best-of-five series — so last season could be marked as an overall success.

Now heading into a new season with 10 Cougars returning, Lewis hopes to build on the momentum from last year.

“We’re excited for what’s coming. It’s a good mix we’re bringing back that has a lot of depth with it,” he said. They know the culture that we play with.”

If there’s one way to describe Cougars hockey, it’s hard-working. Lewis said year in and year out, his team prides themselves on competing hard. They score in different ways, play fast and physical, defend with grit, stick to their systems while adapting when needed, and above all, they’re tough to play against.

Lewis believes his returning veterans embody that identity — and he’s counting on them to pass it down.

“It’s on our vets to push on the culture to these younger guys and show them this is the way the Cougars do it,” he said. “We just need to draw on our culture and kind of play for each other and play for the logo rather than ourselves.”

One veteran who will be counted on to lead Southwest this year is Kole Beard, whose current state with the team is up in the air, as he’s made an effort to make the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Neepawa Titans starting lineup.

Beard, 17, has played under Lewis since he was 15, so him moving on would be an adjustment for both parties. Nonetheless, Lewis speaks highly of his game.

“He’s played in every aspect of the game possible. He plays on the power plays, he plays on the penalty kill, and when we need a goal, he’s out there, and when we’re trying to prevent a goal, he’s out there too,” Lewis said.

Shane Elder, who is a 2008-born player, is another name Lewis expects big things from. The left-shot forward who racked up 16 goals and 35 points for Southwest last year is looking to take an expanded role in his own end this season, which also includes stepping into a penalty-killing role.

One of the Cougars’ biggest strengths this season should be at the centre position, where it’s poised to look dangerous down the middle with Killarney’s Taylor Lockhart and Carberry’s Jack Polasek, who combined for 54 points last year.

On the back end, returning players Cole Forbes, Jaxsten Hansen-Young, and Jamie Williamson will lead the blue line for the Cougars, while the goaltending position is completely up for grabs with netminders Brodie Cameron and Micky Gross both graduating from the program.

“It’s definitely going to be a good battle,” said Lewis of the goaltending situation heading into camp. “We have eight goalies signed up, so we want to make sure we’re picking the right three when we head into the preseason.”

Followed by two practices to begin camp today, Southwest will host two scrimmages on Saturday and then host an intrasquad game on Sunday, which will then bring up the first round of cuts, dropping numbers down anywhere from 25 to 30, depending on how tight the competition is.

But camp is only the start. For Lewis, he believes a priority this season will be playing with consistency, so when the postseason comes around, there are no surprises.

“It’s all about consistency when it comes time for a playoff run,” he said. “You can’t just flip a switch and expect to be at 100 per cent, it’s kind of like revving up and working your way up to where we want to be.”

» mdelucataronno@brandonsun.com