Roller hockey tournaments don't get any more prestigious than State Wars. This year, 14 players and two coaches from Prince George will be on the front lines of battle.
State Wars is considered a U.S. national championship but typically features all-star teams from Canada as well. When the 2012 tournament gets underway next week in St. Louis, multiple versions of Team B.C. will be on the floor. Local players who tried out for, and made, provincial clubs are: (1995 triple-A) Kirk Hards, Logan Styler and Garrett Hill; (1996-97 triple-A) Chris Metcalfe, Mitchell Truefitt, Thane Anderson and Nathan Power; (1998 triple-A) James Gordon and Darren Hards; (1998 double-A) Gregory Williams, Rylan Anderson, Jax Bailey and Cole Power; (1999 triple-A) Garrett Anderson. Kirk Hards will also be in gear for a 1994 triple-A team and Styler will take on additional work with a 1995 triple-A club.
Brian Hards will serve as bench boss for the 1995, 1996-97 and 1998 triple-A squads, while Bruce Williams will guide the 1998 double-A team.
State Wars runs from Aug. 1-12 and will bring together close to 250 teams.
"They run a State Wars like we run a world junior hockey tournament," said Brian Hards. "They hold nothing back. When I went last year, it was just crazy."
In 2011, Brian Hards was in Cincinnati for the roller extravaganza, as were other coaches and players from Prince George.
B.C. teams, all stocked with local talent, combined to win three medals -- one gold, one silver and one bronze.
This time around, Brian Hards is anticipating more roller rewards for the B.C. clubs. He's especially optimistic about the chances of the 1998 triple-A team.
"I see nothing short of a gold medal on that team," he said. "They are so deep in skill and talent. It's going to be fun to watch."
Coach Hards is also interested to see how things unfold for the 1995 triple-A club. Many of the players were part of a bronze-medal winner last year and they'll be in tough right away this year. The team's first game will be against an entry from Pennsylvania that Hards said hasn't lost a game in eight years.
"We'll see what that brings -- that's going to be exciting," he said.
Brian Hards will be able to coach three teams because the schedules of the different age groups don't overlap. By the time State Wars draws to a close, he'll have had his fill of stick, puck and wheels.
"I will be at the rink 24/7 for the period of time that I'm there," he said with a grin.
All the local players are part of the Northern B.C. Minor Roller Hockey Association, which has 12 house teams and four rep clubs in the youth age groups. Brian Hards said the association has played a major role in increasing the talent level in Prince George.
"I always find when we go to tournaments we're a lot more skilled than a lot of the teams," he said. "Where we lack sometimes is the strategy of the game. When you go to the States, a lot of teams play a box, defensive-style system and sometimes they shut down your offence. But we play a pretty high tempo, run-and-gun game and like to put the puck in the net."
