WAXERS TURN AROUND PROVIDES EVIDENCE OF IMPROVED TEAM DEFENSE....AND WENZEL 
The Waxers have just rolled to their sixth win in a row and have made a complete u-turn from the woes that befell them in the final weeks of 1999.

Clearly the new acquisitions: Daniel Beaudoin, Jeremy Wenzel, Tom Kotsopoulos, Jason Fraccaro, Brent Pollock and Albert Ferrante have made significant contributions and have helped turn around a franchise that was floundering in mediocrity earlier in the season.

While it is poor sportsmanship to make excuses there is no question that the Waxers suffered through a terrible rift of injuries that afflicted at times all of their key blueliners. At the same time the club didn't make things easy for themselves when they got into suspension problems while also injury-plagued. That is where there's been a notable improvement in the hockey club, team discipline. In any hockey contest in the heat of the action anybody is prone to losing their cool and taking a foolish penalty but lately the Waxers have reduced those types of penalties significantly.

The injection of the new additions has solidified a well balanced roster that has a little bit of everything: lots of experience, youth, physically punishing players and skilled young men. The versatility of their squad is such that they can play any style of game necessary to win, a scary thought for the opposition.

There certainly was a plan in place for this season, a plan that had the input of all of the Waxers management personnel and certainly in the beginning things didn't go according to such high hopes. Despite the early setbacks the plan was not abandoned, instead the club worked that much harder to teach the young hockey club that there was a method to the madness.

Confidence definitely plays a major role in all facets of life not only to a sport such as hockey. If one lacks it then one is doomed to fail before they start. There's nothing like getting a few wins under one's belt to restore any previously shaken confidence.

Team defense is crucial in any sport, especially so in hockey where the action is fast and furious. The players have recently fulfilled the expectations of the management group and the timing couldn't be better. There is little regard for personal statistics and unselfish play is prevalent at all times. There's an understanding and a maturity that good hockey clubs can only acquire, the personal stats and accolades will take care of themselves if the hockey club does well.

Along with the improved team defense the club has been getting first class goaltending of late and the man between the pipes on most nights, Jeremy Wenzel is personally responsible. The Waxers are fortunate that they have a capable understudy in Chris DelRosario on the roster while Wenzel is putting on a display of netminding that has made him the best goaltender in the League. Chris a keen student of the game and the netminding future of the club looks bright as we glance beyond this year. Wenzel's numbers can be deceiving as there were many nights earlier when he saw far too much rubber, far too many scoring chances night in and night out. Lately with the improved team defense his numbers are evidence of his status as the number one netminder, click here to check out a detailed analysis of Jeremy Wenzel's statistics and notice his January 2000 stats.

Finally the club is blessed with a coaching staff who are tireless workers and have a personal interest in the well fare of their players that few others have. Head Coach Russ Herrington, his father GM/Assistant Coach Larry Herrington and goaltending coach Jeff Laceby have toiled countless hours in preparing game plans and in evaluating the club's performance and deciding upon appropriate action. It also must be noted that not every hockey club operates as the Waxers do, that is the ownership group has tasked them with the job and permits them to do it and supports all decisions that are made, it couldn't work any other way.

Clearly the club has succeeded, in a big way. It's been a co-operative effort by all concerned as there is no other way to succeed and the Waxers are evidence of that.

Now if you are an observer of the game and haven't been coming out to Centennial Arena to watch the Waxers play, let me tell you something. "You are missing out on something special." EDITOR

Copyright © 1998 - 2005, Savolainen.Com Inc. and Restoration Environmental Contractors.
All rights reserved.
Don Bremner and Restoration Environmental Contractors were the proud owners of the
Markham Waxers Junior "A" Hockey Club from 1994 - June 17, 2005.
Proud to continue as Sponsors.