The Stayner Siskins Junior C Hockey Club's gregarious general manager Richard Gauthier announced that Ed Garinger is the team's new assistant coach for the season.

Garinger is a teacher at Bear Creek Secondary School in Barrie and was coach of the high school hockey team.

He was referred to Gauthier from former Siskins star Brent Millsap, who also played and captained his university hockey team, the Mount Allison Mounties, years ago.  

In the local hockey scene, Millsap is well respected and when he said Garinger was an excellent coach Gauthier listened.  A couple of interviews later and Garinger got the job as Tim Hesch's number one man.

Garinger, 28, is originally from Shallow Lake and played Junior C in that area.  He also took a few shifts with the Junior B Owen Sound Greys.

The general manager also said that Cheryl Pinnel has joined the team as the new trainer.  She works as an athletic therapist for Maxxum Physiotherapy in Collingwood and Wasaga Beach's Body In Balance.

Gauthier has invited 110 players to the August 6 and 10 tryouts at the Eddie Bush Arena in Collingwood.  Seventeen invitations have been sent to veterans and he expects 10 or 20 walk-ons. 

Ten goalies have been invited to camp.

"The vets have to earn a spot," stated Gauthier.  "We have new coaches, a new GM, the vets have to earn a spot.  There's no guarantee.  For this team to get better, after all we only had eight wins last year, we have to put a different product on the ice."

Invitations have been sent to players from Barrie, Collingwood, Wasaga, Stayner, Creemore and other small centers nearby.

"There are some decent kids from this area that can play hockey," he said.

Stayner's season opener is in Schomberg Sept. 18 and is followed by four more road games.  The home opener is against Erin on Oct. 9.

"I hope we're a good road team," he quipped.

Alliston Hornets, the provincial Junior C champions, have invited 20 players to vie for 10 spots. 

One player leaving the Hornets is Barrie's Cole Parker, who is the son of former Stayner native and at one time a Siskin star Bob Parker. The young Parker will be competing for a defenseman's spot with the Major Junior A Kitchener Rangers.  Couchiching of the Provincial Junior A League has offered him a spot there, said his father.

Penetang, also a league powerhouse, has already had a free skate with 30 prospects out.

New rule in Junior hockey this season is called 10 and 2.  This means there is no more affiliation rule.  A provincial Junior A team can have 10 affiliate players and two goalies signed and come from numerous organizations from AAA Midget, Junior D, Junior C and Junior B.

In baseball, the Creemore Braves held their annual golf tournament at Wasaga Sands and raised about $3,000 to operate the club.  Braves head honcho Hammer Kinghan said that 110 players were out, and Dan Mesley and Danny Somerville won the tourney with a 10-under.

Creemore and New Lowell, both teams are battling for first place, played each other Thursday with the Knights winning 4-1.  It still up in the air who will claim first but it'll be either New Lowell or Creemore, the two hotbeds of baseball in the area.

Alex Hargrave is a sports writer for The Stayner Sun. His column appears each week.