Five Consecutive Championships For Harrow Juvenile Rams! Wednesday, April 28, 2004 Harrow, ON    The Rams never lost a game in the 2003/04 Juvenile ‘A’ playdowns eliminating Southpoint, Riverside, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Thorold and Nobleking to win their 5th consecutive OMHA Championship. This accomplishment was sweetened by doing so for the first time on home ice in front of a crowd of 500+ fans. In the five year reign as champions, the Rams have not lost a game in any of the five final series. Some players will play their entire OMHA career and never experience the joy of winning an OMHA title. For Rams Captain Kevin Doyle the taste of victory has become very familiar to him in this his 10th OMHA Championship. This was a bittersweet win for Kevin - a last and a first. As an overager this was his last OMHA game he would play and the last time he would see that medal placed around his neck but he is the first Rams Captain to win and skate the trophy on home ice. Only one Harrow player before him can boast ten championships and that is former Ram Karl Lonsberry. One can only imagine the stories Kevin will be able to tell the generations to follow him. Congratulations Kevin on an amazing minor hockey career. The return of the Juvenile division nine years ago in Harrow has proved to be a positive addition to Harrow Minor Hockey with the team winning five of the six times they went to the finals and wining the Juvenile ‘A’ Silver Stick Tournament twice. Harrow is a small ‘CC’ center. The Harrow team has historically been comprised of players from Harrow and Amherstburg though never having enough players to card the allowable twenty-five, the team has competed in the ‘B-BB’ division and ‘A’ division respectfully in OMHA playdowns. Success will come when a team is built from a strong foundation like that of the Rams coaching staff. Manager Larry Vigneux was instrumental in bringing Juvenile hockey back to Harrow and has managed the team ever since. Assistant Coach Greg Pigeon has been involved with the team since it’s rebirth and for the past four championships has added to the positive team concept. The Head Coach Gerry Vigneux, though only twenty-five years old, has been with the team for it’s entire nine years; the first four as a player and then three years as trainer and the last two as Head Coach. The only rookie on the coaching staff is Jerome Clark who has been the trainer for the past two years. With this age group there is always a drastic change of players from year to year, some years as many as ten new players. But this team has a reputation, one that new players are aware of before they come to play for the Juvenile team and one the coaching staff have continued to build on. Coach Vigneux’s explanation for the team’s outstanding success says “It’s simple. There are no super stars on the team and we don’t look for any. We let the guys know at the first try out what we expect from them if they are to be part of the team, talent alone will not get you a spot. We look for guys who we think will bring the right chemistry to the team. That chemistry being dedication, commitment, discipline and respect. When a team of 17 or 19 guys has that kind of chemistry and mind set, the end result is we all want to be there for each other. Once players are playing for each other in any sport that team is unbeatable.” Congratulations to the Rams on this your 5th consecutive championship. This team has an outstanding history. Winning five in a row is incredible!! Possibly one for the books? Story written by: Mae Vigneux © 2003 Ontario Minor Hockey Association. All rights reserved.