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25_V1_WAT_Dec07 Waterloo Chronicle Voluntary Pay Contribution Program We Appre ciate Your Suppo rt! We ask you to consider contributing $30 per year towards delivery of your Community Newspaper. Many of our Readers have made the decision to show their support for the Waterloo Chronicle. It is our pleasure to provide the Waterloo area with a Community Newspaper. 630 RiveRbeNd dRive, UNit 104, KitCheNeR, ON N2K 3S2 fOR mORe iNfORmatiON Call 519-623-7395 ext. 260 Yes! I would like to contribute to the Waterloo ChroniclePlease find a cheque for $30 enclosedfor a 1 year contribution. Signature: Name: address: City: Postal Code: Phone#: THENUTCRACKER A Canadian Tradition December 28, 2017 ~ 2:00 & 7:00 pm Centre In The Square Tickets Available Now! www.centreinthesquare.com | 519-578-1570 Featuring live music by: RBC Emerging Artist ProjectGovernment Partners NutcrackerYouth Education Partner Media Partners Thursday, December 7, 2017 • WATERLOO CHRONICLE • 25Serving your community since 1856 By Dan Polischuk Special to the Chronicle As an entrepreneur running a hockey stick manufacturing business, it's all about relationship-building for Water- loo Siskins president and director of hockey operations, Curtis Clairmont. It's no wonder then that his numerous occupational-related trips to Michigan eventu- ally focused as much on player recruitment for the historic junior B franchise that currently sits fourth at 15-9-0-1 in the Midwestern Con- ference of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL). With his seventh season at the helm under- way, this year's crop of five players from the nearby U.S. state (including two returnees), is the most since he took on the role. "If the opportunity presents itself and it seems real, I pursue them," said Clairmont of his push to bring current American players Alex Potter, Zach Leonard, Brett Miller, Sam Spaedt and Alex Lycett into the fold. "The American players … strongly augment the local players. It makes the local players better," Clairmont said, adding, "I'm not put- ting down local players but if you put a team together just to put a team together, the guys that are the best players are really missing the development opportunities they would get by playing with (other highly skilled) players." "Everyone is treated the same on our team. We create a cultural balance. It really works for us and is very successful," he said. The stats certainly don't lie. Spaedt, Saginaw's Hockey Athlete of the Year in 2016/17 with Heritage High School, is averaging just under a point in each of his 23 games played. Goalie Brett Miller, who was the starter for Team Michigan at North America's largest high school tournament in Minnesota, is sixth in the league with 11 wins. Alex Lycett, a highly recruited forward from Cranbrook, is also averaging a point a game despite early-season injury problems limiting him to 19 games thus far. Defenceman Alex Potter and forward Zach Leonard, back for their second year, are both considered leaders in the dressing room and sport "As" on their jerseys this season as a result. Getting those players committed to Water- loo was no easy feat, but connecting with a Michigan hockey stalwart named David Phil- lips, changed added a lot of substance to what Clairmont was promoting. "If you're in the hockey world of Michigan, you've either played hockey with Dave Philips, played for Dave Philips or coached with Dave Philips. He knows everyone," said Clairmont of the man who has now become a scout with the Siskins. "Dave is instrumental in the relation- ships I've had when I would start to go down to the showcase tournaments to recruit." And while that usually gets a foot in the door with the talent on the ice, selling them on playing in Waterloo -- and a different country -- is still a challenge. "If you grow up in Detroit, Mich., you want to play for the University of Michigan or Michi- gan State," said Clairmont, who is always quick to point out the different kinds of advantages the GOJHL plus the city offers. Being a trans- plant from Timmins, he can speak to that on a personal level too. "The city of Waterloo is tremendous, the universities, our vibrant community and the facility that we get to play in," are key selling points -- while also highlighting the good coaching staff and the team's history in pro- moting players to the next level. "We're as good as or better than anyone at developing hockey players because of the staff I have and our attitude towards it," he said. At the end of the day, the proof in the pud- ding is word of mouth though. "My biggest assets are the players and the families that have played here before," he said. "They have a good experience, they enjoy it and as a result, we get the next crop of players." Siskins find success banking on the Yanks Sam Spaedt is one of a group of Waterloo Siskins players who hail from Michigan. According to president and director of hockey operations Curtis Clairmont, the diversity in skill makes all players better. ChArity MAtheonS photo