SPORTS Editor: Norm Nelson Phone: 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax: 905-337-5567 e-mail: [email protected] Draft day disappointment tempered by invite to Dallas Stars main camp By Jon Kuiperij OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF

To Rob Hisey, not being selected in the recent NHL entry draft may not have been such a bad thing, after all. The Oakville native, who was passed over by NHL clubs at the draft in Nashville, Tennessee has since been invited to the Dallas Stars' main camp this September. The offer came days after Hisey received an invite to a Montreal Canadiens’ rookie camp. “Now that I look at it. I'm glad I didn’t get taken in the eighth or ninth round," Hisey said. “Those kids kind of get lost sometimes.” Ranked 118th among North American skaters before the draft by the Central Scouting Bureau, Hisey is now a free agent and able to sign with whichever club he wants. "Dallas is very keen on Rob,” Graham Paine • Oak\ille Beaver said Todd Reynolds, Hisey’s agent. "He’s got a great opportu­ Diana Matheson is caught in action last season helping nity there to go to their main the Oakville senior women’s team in an Ontario Cup camp. Most times when you’re a game. The Oakville team went on to win the provincial draft pick you go to the rookie and national club championships, and Matheson went camp, and unless you’re the first- on to play for the national team. She scored the winning round pick ... you’re not guaran­ goal in a recent friendly against Mexico. teed to go to the pro camp. “In some cases there are kids drafted two years ago that still Matheson’s first haven’t been to a pro camp, so 9 it’s a great opportunity for him to play with the big boys for a cou­ Peter McCusker • Oakville Beaver ple weeks.” international goal Reynolds, who represents Rob Hisey of the Erie Otters was caught in action this past season by Oakville photographer Peter Hisey with Uptown Sports McCusker when Erie played the Mississauga Ice Dogs. Hisey went on to lead Erie in scoring. Management, said his client collective bargaining agreement, opportunity he didn’t have with (Dallas) organization likes me a is a game winner, might attend both the Dallas and and the leverage that is either on the Greyhounds. lot, and we will see what hap­ Montreal camps, but added the the player's side or the team’s "With the Sault, we had three pens," said Hisey, who monitored priority is to skate with the Stars. side. In this case some teams cenlremen that probably could be the draft proceedings on the and set up by Lang At 5-foot-9, the knock on interpreted it as being on Rob No. 1 centres on many teams in Internet from his Oakville home. Hisey has always been his size, Hisey’s side, with a late birthday the league. Erie really had a need “That’s what these kids don't By ion Kuiperij ty- despite scoring 74 points in 73 (Sept. 24, 1984). Normally a for it, since they lost a lot of understand — they really have to OAKVILLE HEAVtiH STAFF “They gave her the games to lead the OHL's Erie player can re-enter the draft but scoring (with the departure of experience it, the highs and lows opportunity (this year) and Otters in scoring last season. in Rob’s case he wouldn’t be Cory Pecker and Brad Boyes). of the game. As much as you tell Diana Matheson is cer­ she grabbed it with both However, his agent suggested able to. If he was drafted this and it turned out to be a perfect them, they really have to live it tainly making the most of hands.” there might have been another year and a team didn’t sign him fit for me,” Hisey said. and experience it,” added her opportunity. Matheson. a 5-foot-1 reason the 18-year-old centre within two years, he’d be an In the end. the disappointment Reynolds. The 18-year-old midfielder, said she has wasn't selected in the draft. unrestricted free agent, which of not being drafted has been “To have the phone ring two Oakville resident, recently “I think there’s a couple fac­ scared some teams off.” washed away by the interest days later and be offered this been receiving more play­ named to the national tors — one is his size, which Even if Dallas or Montreal expressed in Hisey by the NHL opportunity, all of a sudden ing time recently, and scor­ women’s soccer team, holds true for any player his size. offers him a contract, Hisey will clubs. you're back up. As a player, if ing a game-winner “doesn't scored her first internation­ Some scouts this year said if he likely return to Erie next year. “It's like a roller coaster. One you want to be a pro, you have to hurt” her chances of mak­ was 6’ 1, 195 lbs., he would be a Traded in midseason by Sault day 1 was down and didn't get be very even, nice and steady. al goal last month to lift ing the World Cup team. first-round pick,” Reynolds said. Ste. Marie, Hisey filled the top drafted, but the next day you can Hopefully Robbie’s learning Canada over Mexico 2-1 in “It’s definitely my “The other is ... the current centre role with the Otters, an be right back in there. The that.” friendly competition. biggest goal ever," she said, “It was from the top of ranking her game-tying the 18-yard-box. Kara goal for Oakville in last (Lang, also of Oakville) put year’s national women's Russell brothers on national championship teams it along the ground, and I championship match a just turned and shot." A couple of Oakville brothers close second. Matheson said about her who both played hockey for “I think Evan doesn't goal, which broke a 1-1 tie local junior A teams will be suit­ just look at my size, he in the 90th minute: “it was ing up for their respective post­ looks at what I can do.” secondary teams this fall. just very exciting, especial­ Currently preparing for Both brothers are graduates of ly so late in the game.” games with Brazil later this Loyola and of the Oakville Matheson. looked over summer in Montreal and Rangers minor hockey system. by national coaches most of Ottawa, Matheson hopes to Adam Russell, who will turn her life because of her small be one of 18 players select­ 21 at the end of October, played stature, has been given the ed to travel out west and his junior hockey with chance by Canadian coach train for the 2004 World Mississauga and Georgetown. Evan Pellerud to make the Cup team. Scott Russell, who will turn team that will compete in If she isn't invited, she 18 in early September, played next year’s World Cup. certainly has other options, two years for the Oakville “Diana basically proves having been accepted to Blades, switching over to you don’t have to be a giant Princeton for this fall. Streetsville Derbys midway to be a great soccer player.” Matheson is also com­ through last season. said Billy McKenna, who peting this summer with the Adam Russell will be going coached Matheson for sev­ Toronto Inferno, a women's into this third year at St. Clair eral years when she played league squad that plays College in Windsor, where he's for the Oakville Soccer elite teams in the United taking the three year, golf-relat­ Club. States. ed landscape design and turf “She’s got so many “A lot of people have management program. weapons in her arsenal — had a hand in her success, He will certainly find it hard she can beat you outside, but 1 would say the person inside, with speed, she can to top the first two years, with Oakville brothers Scott (left) and Adam Russell rose through the Oakville Rangers minor hockey sys­ that deserves the most cred­ cross the ball ... his high powered college team, tem, played junior hockey on area teams and are now playing hockey with their respective post sec­ it for what Diana's done is which is competitive with many ondary schools — both of them championship teams. “She was always the last Diana," McKenna said. Canadian university teams, win­ or second-last cut (with “People have always ning the Ontario Colleges both years. a division three NCAA school. they are coming off the NCAA national under-16, -17 and - told her she’s too small, and Athletic Association (OCAA) And Scott Russell is going to And he will find expectations division 3 national champi­ 18 teams) because they she’s proved she isn’t too provincial championships in Norwich University in Vermont. unusually high at Norwich as onship. never recognized her abili­ small.”

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