Wheatland Kings gear up for new season

Melissa Strle
Times Reporter

 

The Wheatland Kings will be heading into the new season this weekend as head coach Shadoe Stoodley and assistant coaches Braden Desmet and Keenan Desmet head up evaluations.
All three coaches are from the Strathmore area and this will be their first year coaching Junior B. Camp will start as a skilled session on Aug. 26 and then go into inner squad games over the weekend.
After the weekend, there will be practices on Tuesday and Thursday, followed by exhibition games in a few weeks.
According to Stoodley, after the weekend they will cut down some numbers in the evaluation process and there will be more of a complete picture in a few weeks.
“We won’t get a real look until the first exhibition game, once guys get back from Junior A camps, and we’ll be at more of a rounded squad,” he said.
Currently, there are about 40 players registered and 23 will eventually make the team. But there are still some players coming in, and there are players at Junior A camps that won’t get to Junior B until later.
Assistant coach Keenan Desmet is looking forward to evaluations.
“We’ve got a good bunch of young men trying out this weekend and hopefully we’ll get a few vets back throughout the month,” said Desmet.
He commended the season the Wheatland Kings had last year, noting the talent that will trickle down this year with some seasoned vets.
The coaching staff has its sights set high for the upcoming year.
“We’re hoping to win provincials. That’s kind of the main goal and go to the Westerns,” said Desmet.