54 OSHAWA GENERALS KYLE MACLEAN COMING INTO HIS OWN WITH GENERALS But, the 19-year-old forward SON OF FORMER GENS is very much coming into his STAR JOHN MACLEAN own now, nearing a point-per- game average while providing Thursday, November 29, 2018 | | IS A RELIABLE AND leadership - he's been an alter- nate captain the past two years - VERSATILE FORWARD and steady, reliable play in ev- his Week T BRIAN MCNAIR ery facet of the game. [email protected] "He's a heart and soul guy," said Generals head coach Greg OSHAWA - Heading off to Walter. "He's a mucker, he works play in the Ontario Hockey extremely hard, he hits, he's a League at 16 is a daunting task complete 200-foot game player for any player, but especially for us, and he's doing really well those who come from another on our power play. He's winning country, as Kyle MacLean did in loose-puck battles, and 50-50 2015. pucks. He's one of the guys that MacLean, however, found a just competes every day for us." home away from home in Osha- MacLean joined a rebuilding wa, where his dad was raised Generals team that was coming and his grandparents still re- off a Memorial Cup champion- side, offering a level of support ship in 2015, the team's second and comfort that few others in choice behind first-rounder and the league are able to enjoy. now captain Jack Studnicka in a It's a big part of the reason pick-deleted draft. why MacLean chose the Gener- After putting up only nine als, the team that drafted him in points in 47 games as a rookie the fourth round, over the Na- and 13 in a full 68-game season tional Collegiate Athletic Asso- the next, he started to turn a cor- ciation (NCAA), the route taken ner offensively last season with by his older brother, John Jr. 28 points in an injury-shortened "When I made the decision, I 44-game season. was very comfortable coming to Now, he's a key contributor Oshawa," said MacLean, who with seven goals and 20 points credited his grandparents for Ryan Pfeiffer/Metroland through 25 games. He also making the transition more Oshawa Generals' Kyle MacLean is having a tremendous season with the Oshawa Generals in his fourth year in the notched a shootout winning tal- smooth. "I thought it was the Ontario Hockey League. ly over the league-leading Otta- best place for me to develop and wa 67's last Wednesday. the best place to play as a 16- Generals, helping lead the team up around the Devils when John learned a lot from my dad being "I think that's just being more year-old and moving forward as to a championship in 1983 before coached there in the early 2000s, a coach and being around that comfortable," his said of the in- well. I definitely thought about being selected sixth overall by and quickly became addicted to professional atmosphere." creased offence. "Confidence is (the NCAA), but this is the route the New Jersey Devils and going the sport. MacLean is not quite follow- a huge thing. I got to know the I chose." on to a long and productive play- "It was definitely special," ing in the footsteps of his old league my first couple of years MacLean's father, John, is ar- ing career in the NHL. said MacLean, who tried to mod- man, and in fact was passed over and now I feel a lot better and guably the best-ever home- Kyle is too young to have seen el his own game after that of his altogether in his NHL draft am putting it all together a little grown product to play for the his father play, but he did grow favourite player, Zach Parise. "I year, in 2017. bit more as well." OPINION athletes. this is a test to make them stron- Unfortunately, very few kids ger, tougher and smarter. possess the maturity, responsi- Empathize with them, and let WHEN YOUR BEST IS NOT ENOUGH bility and desire to work like a them express their discourage- Trojan, make sacrifices and ment and frustration - and love fun, but a daily grind to prove push themselves beyond their them. COLUMNIST DOUG SMITH'S MOTTO IS NEVER GIVE UP themselves worthy of being limits. If you're thinking the sys- Don't be afraid to reach out Think of hockey, for example. stars. tem is going to change any time for help. There are mental sports DR. DOUGLAS Even in house league, there is a The higher one moves up the soon, you're wrong. experts, who are available to SMITH pressure to win every game and ladder in hockey, the pressure We can cry and get frustrated help make things a lot easier for Column be No. 1 in the league. Of course, and stress accelerates; hockey, all we want with the unfairness young and older athletes. as players get better and im- like many other sports, has in- of the system, but it's not going My motto is: never give up. We prove their skills, they move up creased the level of expectations to do us any good. That's the way can always improve and stretch the ladder to higher levels of for performance, such that kids the world works today. our abilities using the power of Do you remember when competition. are expected to perform, work What should we do? Should our mind. sports were fun, enjoyable and When youngsters move up to and act like pros. we take the kids out of compet- something that made you feel the next level, they fear they are It's survival of the fittest. On- itive sports and teach them to Dr. Douglas Smith is a li- good? Those were the good old no longer good enough to com- ly the strongest physically and think that when the going gets censed psychologist in Ontario, days, right? pete with the stars of the team. mentally are able to adapt to the tough, it's OK to quit? I don't specializing in sport psychology Unfortunately, we have now So, they work harder and worry pressure to constantly improve, think that will work. since 1985. Contact him at 905- made sports a stressful job for constantly if they are going to be deal with criticism constructive- When our kids feel their best 430-3538 or drdoug@pro- many young athletes and their able to keep up with this elite ly and stay ahead of the pack. It's efforts are not enough, we can mind.ca; website www.promind- families. group. Soon hockey is no longer a dog-eat-dog world for young teach them to understand that .ca. urhamregion.com d.