Members of the Okotoks Bow Mark Oilers need not look far for inspiration at the Mac’s.
A short glance behind them on the bench will showcase a past champion of the annual U18 AAA international hockey tournament with head coach Chris Beston holding his Mac’s title from the 1998-99 season with the UFA Bisons as one of the highlights of his career.
“It was one of the best experiences of my life,” said Beston. “You grow up as a kid watching it year after year and I was fortunate enough to play in it.
“We had a good run and got hot at the right time, ended up winning it and it’s a memory I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”
Beston scored the fourth goal for the Bisons in their 4-2 Mac’s championship game victory over the Swift Current Legionnaires on New Year’s Day 1999.
The 39-year-old followed up his Mac’s success with a strong junior career that saw stops with the Calgary Hitmen, Calgary Canucks, Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves and Olds Grizzlys.
Beston, the leading scorer on the Bisons’ 1998-99 UFA team that included the likes of fellow Okotokian Geoff Rollins and former Canmore Eagles legend Mark Bomersback, said going back to the Mac’s behind the bench has been one of his biggest coaching goals.
“We just all came together at the right time,” Beston added. “We knew we had a good team and it was just a matter of everyone coming together, we got hot at the right time and next thing you know we’re putting on those (championship) jerseys.”
The Bow Mark Oilers, entering the Mac’s tournament for the fourth time in franchise history, are the host team out of a strong Pool 2 on paper at the 2021-22 competition.
Okotoks will be up against fellow Alberta Elite Hockey League representatives in the St. Albert Raiders, the second seed out of the league’s North Division. Also in the group is the San Diego Saints out of the Golden State as well as the Regina Pat Canadians, Saskatchewan’s second ranked squad, and the Yale Hockey Academy out of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League.
Academy teams have been added to the Mac’s this year to further strength the competition.
“It’s going to be a hard battle to get out that pool,” said Beston. “All of the pools are strong this year, you’ve got those academy teams in the mix this year.”
Okotoks goes into the tournament following a busy month of league play with a 8-13-1 record.
“We just need to work on our consistency, we have such highs and lows,” Beston added. “In that tournament you’re going to need to be consistent every day and that’s what we’re trying to work on as a team.”
The Mac’s has long been a scouting showcase for junior teams looking to add to its coffers for future years and that has been reinforced at this competition with expanded scouting packages being distributed along with all 67 games being broadcast through the HockeyTV platform.
For the players, it’s about channelling their excitement in the right direction.
“I think we just have to go out there and play like any other game and just do our thing,” said Bow Mark Oilers defenceman Connor Claughton. “And if we do it right (scouts) will like us. It is in the back of your mind, obviously, but at the end of the day it’s a tournament and we want to win it as a team.”
Okotoks opens the tournament on Dec. 27 versus Regina, a 3:30 p.m. start at the Father David Bauer Arena in Calgary.
The 30-team competition sees round-robin action from Dec. 27-31 with the playoff round held Jan. 1-2.
For full schedule information go to macstournament.ab.ca.
