RECRUITING GUIDECRESTON VALLEY THUNDER CATS

2017

/18

The Creston Valley Thunder Cats organization takes great pride in offering players a first-class junior hockey experience that develops the physical, mental and scholastic skills necessary to move on to higher levels of junior and college hockey. Our experienced coaching staff targets high-character, hard-working and committed student-athletes, and the structure and accountability our team environment provides is aimed to give players a competitive advantage over their opponents both on and off the ice.

The experience of living in the Creston Valley and playing for the Thunder Cats will prepare you for the next steps in your hockey career and in life. Our organization strives to emulate the core qualities of a Junior A program competing at the Junior B level, providing athletic and personal development opportunities and resources that include the following and more:

1. Professional coaching and leadership from a dedicated full-time staff;2. A minimum of four 75-minute practice times per week, plus morning skates on game days;3. Additional icetime available for individual and positional skill development;4. Off-ice strength/conditioning training and season-long access to a gym, pool and fitness centre;5. Mandatory community volunteer commitments on behalf of the team;6. Weekly team video analysis sessions as well as ongoing individual video review;7. Room and board with a welcoming billet family vetted by the team (fees apply);8. Fully-licensed equipment (helmet, visor, gloves, pants, bag) and team apparel included in season fee;9. All hotel accommodations and meals provided while traveling with the team on the road;10. Educational advising to prepare players who wish to advance to play university/college hockey;11. Assistance from coaches in identifying/contacting higher level teams to promote player advancement;12. Nutrition/supplies provided for all games, including snacks, fruit, Gatorade, tape, wax, laces;

SELKIRK COLLEGE

OUR PROGRAM

CRESTON VALLEY THUNDER CATS JUNIOR HOCKEY CLUB

The Thunder Cats are the defending Eddie Mountain Division champions following a 36-9-1-1 record in 2016/17

The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League is the premier development league at the Junior B level in Canada. For 49 seasons, KIJHL teams have successfully developed and prepared players to move on to Junior A and Major Junior hockey, as well as college and university programs at all levels in Canada and the United States.

The KIJHL consists of 20 organizations spread throughout the interior of British Columbia, with teams split into the Eddie Mountain, Neil Murdoch, Doug Birks and Okanagan divisions. Each team plays a 47-game regular season schedule that runs from September to February, with 16 teams advancing to the KIJHL playoffs and competing for a league championship and a spot in the Cyclone Taylor Cup, B.C.’s Junior B provincial championship, in April.

Over 45 future National Hockey League players got their start in the KIJHL, including Shea Weber, Barret Jackman, Cody Franson, Chuck Kobasew, Adam Deadmarsh and Ray Ferraro. Countless others have earned scholarships after progressing to leagues like the WHL and BCHL, while many of those who finish their junior careers in the KIJHL are recruited by college teams in B.C., Alberta and the U.S.

THE KIJHL

RULE #76: NO EXCUSES, PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION!

DANE BIRKS2013 Pittsburgh Penguins

6th Round Draft Pick

Thunder Cats players are able to affiliate with teams in the British Columbia Hockey League and we work hard to help create these opportunities. During the 2016/17 season, BCHL teams affiliated nine Thunder Cats players, which was more than from all other teams in the Eddie Mountain Division combined. The Trail Smoke Eaters are one hour from Creston, making it easy for our players to attend practices and play games when called upon.

PLAYER ADVANCEMENT

CRESTON VALLEY THUNDER CATS JUNIOR HOCKEY CLUB

SKYLAR PACHECO Brock University (CIS)

Development and advancement are at the centre of the experience we provide for players who wear the Thunder Cats jersey. Whether it to be higher levels of junior hockey, or college and university, our staff works hard to ensure that every athlete reaches their full potential and has opportunities to advance. Over the past five seasons, 23 Thunder Cats have advanced to Junior A/University hockey:

Skylar Pacheco (Prince George Spruce Kings, BCHL)Alex McDougall (Powell River Kings, BCHL) Dane Birks (Merritt Centennials, BCHL) Jake Livingstone (Langley Rivermen, BCHL)Tyler Podgorenko (Bonnyville Pontiacs, AJHL)Colby Livingstone (Okotoks Oilers, AJHL) Maverick Lynes (Selkirk Steelers, MJHL) Riley Bosman (Fort Frances Lakers, SIJHL) Kyle Michalovsky (Amherst Ramblers, MHL) Logan Styler (St. Stephen Aces, MHL)Angus Johnston (Woodstock Slammers, MHL)Seth Schmidt (South Shore Lumberjacks, MHL)Matti Jmaeff (Amherst Ramblers, MHL)Brandon Parrone (College of St. Scholastica, NCAA DIII)Trevor Hanna (Castleton State College, NCAA DIII) Connor Kidd (Becker College, NCAA DIII)Scott Swiston (Augustana College, ACAC)Marcel Fuchs (Selkirk College, BCIHL) Jackson Bruce-Fuoco (Selkirk College, BCIHL) Brandon Formosa (Univ. of Central Oklahoma, ACHA DI)Trevor Leblanc (Univ. of Central Oklahoma, ACHA DI)Andrew Hodder (Univ. of Central Oklahoma, ACHA DI) Nick Kovacik (Jamestown College, ACHA DI)

236 games in the BCHL

Thunder Cats blueliner Jake Livingstone joined the BCHL’s Langley Riverman in Nov. 2016 after 1.5 seasons in Creston

TREVOR HANNA Castleton State (NCAA DIII)2011-2014; Committed to

HEAD COACH

SUCCESS ISN’T OWNED, IT’S LEASED. AND RENT IS DUE EVERY DAY.

JEFF DUBOIS HEAD COACH/GENERAL MANAGER

Dubois is finishing his third season with the Thunder Cats after joining the team from Selkirk College of the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League in June 2014. In his three years in Creston, he has led the team to an overall regular season record of 97-42-4-8 in 151 games as well as a trio of postseason appearances. In that time, 21 Thunder Cats players have affiliated with BCHL teams, six have moved on to Junior A programs full-time and eight others have earned commitments to play university hockey in Canada & the U.S.

At the conclusion of the 2016/17 regular season, Dubois was honoured as the KIJHL’s Coach of the Year.

At Selkirk, Dubois led the Saints to a pair of BCIHL championships in two seasons behind the bench, totaling a combined regular season and playoff record of 49-6-1. During the 2012/13 season, the Saints set BCIHL records for wins and points in a season as well as for the league’s longest-ever winning streak. In 2013/14, Selkirk successfully defended their league title while setting a new league mark for lowest goals against in a season with 51 in 24 regular season games. Dubois was named the BCIHL’s Coach of the Year at the conclusion of both seasons. Prior to joining the Saints, Dubois spent six seasons as the General Manager at Simon Fraser University, where he led the program to three BCIHL titles and five league finals appearances. He also played two seasons as a member of the SFU men’s hockey team while studying Political Science.

Dubois previously served as the B.C. scout for the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs and has developed a vast network of Junior A and university coaching contacts across Canada from his time at Selkirk College and SFU, as well as from three years spent in the BCHL head office as the league’s Director of Communications.

Dubois won a pair of championships at Selkirk College. He was recently named the KIJHL’s 2016/17 Coach of the Year

The Creston Valley Thunder Cats are based in Creston, British Columbia, Canada. Creston is a small, welcoming community of 5,300 residents in the scenic Kootenay region of the province. Driving times to Creston are approximately five hours from Calgary and eight hours from Vancouver, and the town is easily accessible from two nearby airports: the Canadian Rockies International Airport in Cranbrook and the West Kootenays Regional Airport in Castlegar. Creston is also just 10 kilometres north of the Porthill border crossing for convenient access to Idaho, Washington and Montana. Located in the scenic Creston Valley, Creston is a friendly, hard-working community that thrives on agriculture, forestry and tourism. It is also a tremendous outdoor adventure destination that features nearby access to hiking, fishing, mountain biking, and various water activities at Kootenay Lake.

High school-aged players in Creston attend Prince Charles Secondary School and are aided by educational advisors who work with the team to manage the challenges of balancing full-time schooling with junior hockey. Players who have completed high school can begin work on their post-secondary education at the College of the Rockies, which offers a wide range of web-based university-transfer courses in arts and sciences, as well as academic upgrading classes. The Thunder Cats offer a bursary program that can cover tuition costs for those who enroll in post-secondary courses while in Creston.

SELKIRK COLLEGE

THE CRESTON VALLEY

CRESTON VALLEY THUNDER CATS JUNIOR HOCKEY CLUB

Creston Community Complex College of the Rockies Prince Charles Secondary

As the primary winter tenant at the beautiful Creston & District Community Complex, the Thunder Cats are able to offer a number of resources and amenities to our players, including full-time use of a dedicated team dressing room and season-long access to a fitness centre, weight room, swimming pool, hot tub and sauna. Our 7.25 hours of weekly icetime for team practices and individual positional and skill development rival most Junior A programs.

AMENITIES/FEES

HARD WORK ISN’T EASY, BUT IT’S FAIR

Fitness Centre Swimming Pool Weightroom

OUR FACILITY

The Thunder Cats utilize pro-style Steva video editing software to break down team and individual game video in order to optimize skill development, systems play and in-game decision-making. Video is also used in weekly scouting sessions of upcoming opponents.

VIDEO TOOLS

Thunder Cats players are responsible for payment of an annual season fee and monthly billet fees. The season fee covers all hockey-related activities and team equipment, while the billet fee covers room and board with a local family carefully selected by the team. To learn about specific fee amounts for the 2017/18 3season, speak with head coach Jeff Dubois.

TEAM FEES

Creston fans fill the rink named for the Boston Bruins great & Hall of Famer

JOHNNY BUCYK ARENA

CELL: (250) 513-0189 EMAIL: TCATS@TELUS.NETWEB: CRESTONVALLEYTHUNDERCATS.COM

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A THUNDER CATS PLAYER?

JEFF DUBOISHEAD COACH/GENERAL MANAGER