After losing several good players last year, Milford hockey is looking to improve this season and be rated as one of the better teams in the KLAA Conference.
According to several of the players, the team is far from its peak right now, especially after losing two seniors from last season: Dom Bates and Tony Bima.
Although they are working hard, they are not certain they will be as talented by the beginning of the season. It is a main concern, but they are starting to learn that when they lose a few men, others need to step up and take their roles. Some of the key players this year leading the team in the right direction include Seniors Trevor Emme, Tom Tori and Mike Stando, who are all defensemen.
Some of the things they are doing this year to improve from last year is a much faster paced practice, getting them ready for the fast action of games. Although there are not as many talented players on the team this year, they are willing to work harder and longer to become the team they would like to be.
“I hope my team gets better than it is now,” said Tom Tori, a senior defensive starter on the team. Although he is wishing the team can be as good as it can be, he does enjoy his senior year playing with Emme, another player on the defensive line, and his younger brother Trevor Tori, who is a forward.
There is much excitement for the upcoming season and the players enjoy spending time together off the ice, playing jokes on each other as well as seeing who can get the most goals during the pre-season scrimmage games. This is what makes a team a true team and not just a group of individuals.
“I cannot wait for all of the team bonding this year,” said Tom Tori. As long as the Milford hockey team works hard and plays as a team there is no reason why this team cannot make it through districts, players said.
In order to win districts, the team needs to set certain goals and one-by-one accomplish those goals making their season a successful one while having the most fun they can have. These goals include: having a winning season, strong defense, and a high scoring offensive line.
“Our defense is working hard as well as are offense to have a strong season,” said Trevor Tori. Even though we aren’t too far into the season, players such as Trevor Emme and Tom Tori have already started having fun working the concessions at other sporting events with their teammates. As well as, playing jokes on each other, including putting scotch tape on the bottom of another’s skates.
“We have all been playing for a long time and this season will be great one because I’m not letting my last season ever be a bad one” Emme said as we closed are interview up. He made it very clear that we should not doubt this team because great things are starting to brew inside of Hartland ice arena.