By Dan Marshall

Clippers preaching patience with young team

Oct 7, 2016 | 10:21 AM

NANAIMO — It’s been a slower start to the season than Clipper fans are accustomed to but the team is still in the thick of things in the Island Division.

Heading into this weekend Nanaimo is in last place with a 4-5 record. Consistency and special teams have been two aspects holding the team back at the start of the year. You just have to look at the team’s yo-yo type record to see that.

Nanaimo lost a game and then won three. Then they lost three, won one, and lost one. For whatever reason the power play can’t get above the 10 per cent mark and the penalty kill seems to be either great or struggling mightily.

It’s a team oozing with potential though and that’s what head coach Mike Vandekamp sees – young, improving players with a willingness to learn.

Take Matt Kowalski for instance, the second year forward has scored in back-to-back games for the first time in his career and hopes to keep that going against Trail and Powell River this weekend.

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Coach Vandekamp has used the word patience a lot as he continues to work with this group.

“You’ve got to preach patience, you have to be willing to teach, you have to be willing to learn from your success and learn from your failures along the way,” said Vandekamp. “Hopefully you’re patient enough to create the culture in your team that you want to create and have it pay off down the road. That’s the hard part and this year’s no different.”

Nanaimo is a young team in 2016-2017, in fact the youngest in the Island Division along with Alberni Valley.

Both the Clippers and Bulldogs have an average age of 18.5, while the Capitals and Kings are at 18.6. The Victoria Grizzlies are at 18.7.

Last year’s Island Championship team in Nanaimo averaged 18.7 and even that one extra 19 or 20-year-old can have a huge impact on wins and losses.

The Clippers were expecting to have a slightly older team this year but because of how successful the club was in the 2015-16 season Vandekamp lost some potential returnees that he had pencilled into his lineup.

“We have at least three players that I firmly believe should still be on our team this year playing junior and that would make a big difference on our team. But they’re not here, they’ve moved up the ladder because there were spots available for them to do so. At some point you have to take young players and try to mold them and turn them into a team and hope that they stay with you long enough to get a little pay off.”

One player the coach is hoping will turn into an impact forward is Lucas Finner. Finner had his first goal of the season last Saturday and feels the team can start to put some wins together.

“A big part of it is just us beating ourselves. If we focus on our own game we should be fine against any team in the league. Sticking to our game plan is a major key in us winning hockey games,” said Finner.

The Clippers are at home this weekend with games against Trail Friday and Powell River Saturday.

According to Finner there’s going to be a payback feeling for the Saturday game after Nanaimo lost 7-1 to the Kings last week.

There’s sure to be some anomosity between the Smoke Eaters and Clippers as well, as the two clubs will face each other two of the next three games.

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Weekend Sports

BCHL

Nanaimo Clippers vs Trail – Friday 7 p.m. Frank Crane Arena
Nanaimo Clippers vs Powell River – Saturday 6 p.m. Frank Crane Arena

VIJHL

Nanaimo Buccaneers @ Campbell River – Friday 7:30 p.m. Rod Brind’Amour Arena

BCMML

North Island Silvertips vs Fraser Valley – Sunday 1:45 p.m. Frank Crane Arena
North Island Silvertips vs Fraser Valley – Monday 1 p.m. Nanaimo Ice Centre

PACWEST

Badminton Tournament – (Friday – Monday) Richmond, BC
Mariners Women’s Basketball Exhibition vs Trinity Western – Friday 7 p.m. VIU Gym
Mariners Women’s Basketball Exhibition vs George Fox – Saturday 7 p.m.

BC Highschool Football

John Barsby @ Timberline – Friday 6 p.m. Robron Park
NDSS @ Ballenas – Saturday 2 p.m. Ballenas

VISL

Nanaimo United vs Cermaq – Saturday 7 p.m. Merle Logan Field