What do you when you win coach of the year? Of course you go to Disneyland.
Ryan Howse was named the Prince George Minor Hockey Association's coach of the year earlier this spring for his successful work behind the bench as head coach of the Bantam Tier 2 squad for the 2014-15 season.
Now he's taking a group of Prince George first and second-year midget-aged players (15, 16, and 17-year-olds) to compete in a tournament in Anaheim, Calif. this week.
The hockey squad is competing in the Anaheim Jr. Ducks Memorial Shoot-Out that begins Friday and concludes Monday.
"It's a spring hockey team that's been put together," said Howse. "There are about 15 to 16 kids, just one goalie and four defencemen. It's tough getting kids to come out in the spring and some kids have never travelled so we opened it up to anyone. A lot of the team was picked before I came on as coach (last month). It's a good group of kids."
Prince George only practised together as a team on the weekend. Half of the team leaves Tuesday morning for sunny southern California while the remainder will arrive Wednesday night.
Prince George will compete in the elite division and will play three preliminary games where they'll face off against Anaheim on Friday, Los Angeles on Saturday and the California Wave on Sunday. Depending on those results, they'll cross-over to the playoffs. The final is May 25.
With only one game per day, there is enough time to enjoy the sights and sounds of Anaheim, including visiting Disneyland.
Other divisions include midget, bantam, pee wee and squirt.
Howse, 23, joined the minor coaching ranks in Prince George two years ago after he retired as a professional player. The former Cariboo Cougar and Chilliwack Bruins (BCHL) star was selected in the third round by the Calgary Flames in the 2009 NHL Draft. He played professional hockey with the now-defunct Abbotsford Heat of the AHL and Utah Grizzlies of the East Coast Hockey League.
As a coach, he's never embarked on a trip to California like this, but he did as a player on Vancouver-based spring teams.
"The kids have never done anything like this before and I'm excited to share my experiences playing in pro hockey and share my knowledge and experience of travelling," said Howse.
Last season, the Bantam Tier 2 Cougars won their way into the provincial championship in Cranbrook in March and were one win away from advancing to the semifinals.
Howse was then named PGMHA's coach of the year.
"I was definitely surprised by it," he said of the award. "It was a fun year. It's all about having fun and enjoying the game. I'm trying to make a difference by helping players out in minor hockey. I really enjoyed being around the players and it takes a group of families and kids that were awesome to work with."
When he's not behind the bench, Howse works as the sports co-ordinator with the Aboriginal Education Department at School District 57 and is based at PGSS.
Next season he's moving up the ranks as coach of PGMHA's Midget Tier 1 Cougars.
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