Hartley Miller's Slap-Shots June 30th Edition

By Hartley Miller

A busy travel schedule is a reality for competitive sports teams, especially clubs that live in geographic locations like Prince George.  Travel is obviously crucial for player and team development. However, some trips are more important than others. 

Occasionally, a team will embark on a journey that extends far beyond the realm of the sport, and results in an experience that lasts a lifetime. Such is the case for the Prince George Girl’s Under-15 Kodiaks All-Star Soccer Team, who recently enjoyed a week and a half in Germany.

The Kodiaks finished 2-1-1. They outscored the host U-15 Regensburg team 4-0 and 3-0, dropped a 4-1 decision to Regensburg U-16, and also played to a 1-1 stalemate against the Southern Bavarian all-stars from Southern Germany.

Coach Iain Flannagan was delighted, both on, and off the field. “Oh, I couldn’t be more happy. The life lessons that were learned, some of the players they played against, some of the players they saw, it was a great experience for the girls altogether. The hosts were absolutely unbelievable. We had jam packed days. Regensburg is probably the oldest city in Germany and we had tours lined up by their club over there every day. They chartered busses for us and took us out to the old monastery on the Danube. We had two different cruises on the Danube. They took us into Munich one day and toured the clubhouse of Bayern-Munich and we saw the arena where the opening game of the World Cup was played. There was a barbecue after each game and we got treated like royalty. It was almost to the point where it was embarrassing.”

Flannagan’s hopes were high for the trip, but the Germans gave the Canadian guests the red carpet treatment. “It exceeded our expectations. I expected they would put on a show but I didn’t expect that kind of a show. It was absolutely stunning.” The PG girls will get a chance to return the favor when a touring German club comes to the city in the summer of 2007.  

The trip, which had been planned for eight months, wasn’t just about soccer. “One of the players said the best experience being over there was being with the billet. That’s part of the reason we went over there, for the cultural experience,” said Flannagan.

Less than a week after returning home, the Kodiaks lost to Kamloops in a third and deciding game
on penalty kicks, meaning they didn’t qualify for the Provincial “A” championships in Kamloops. The PG girls are obviously disappointed, but their German adventure should help ease the frustration.

The U-15 Kodiaks is not the only group that experiences these types of opportunities. My son, Lucas, for example, is one of a handful of Prince George high school graduates headed for Germany this summer, on an exchange program. As a teenager, I didn’t have a chance to participate in these life experiences. This is a great chance for kids to “leave the nest” and explore the world. 

Oversees journeys don’t have to be expensive. After fund raising, the Kodiak Girls paid about $100, plus extras, on what would normally be a trip in excess of $2000. Even TV host Bob Barker would agree that when it comes to opportunities, such as these for children, “The Price Is Right”.

From the quote rack:

"Perhaps now that journeyman reliever Jason Grimsley (career major league record of 42-58) has been busted, it’s time to drop the phrase ’performance-enhancing’ from all discussions about steroids”.

--Frank Fitzpatrick of the Philadelphia Inquirer

"Jason could have been the first big-league hurler to be put on a snitch count."

--Randy Hill of foxsports.com, on Jason Grimsley allegedly naming names after being found by federal investigators to have taken human growth hormone.

"(White Sox manager) Ozzie Guillen says that he will undergo sensitivity training, but wants English lessons first. He, then, asked if Andrew Dice Clay teaches English."

--Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, CA

"Brett Hull is getting married in July. No, not to himself, sill.y"

--Cam Hutchinson of the Saskatoon Star Phoenix

"Maybe John Daly can show him how to lose his shirt."

--Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post, after  Terrell Owens of the Dallas Cowboys showed up to a 
Dallas-Miami NBA Championship game wearing a Heat jersey. 

"I was on the 101 Freeway and my car got hit by one of (Phil) Mickelson’s tee shots.’’

--NBC’s Jay Leno, claiming he had an accident on his way to work, a day after the U.S. Open golf championship.

And in case you missed it……..

--The U.S.-Italy World Cup soccer game had a higher T.V. rating than the final round of the U.S.
Open golf championship.

And how was your week?

Hartley Miller is the sports director for radio stations 94X and the Wolf@97fm. He also writes for the
PG Free Press. Hartley’s e-mail address is hmiller@94xfm.com

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