The Independent-Record from Helena, Montana • 8

TCD mm i alia I a II Small-Fry Competition Builds Big-Time Talent I Vv 6 xV I TVERY Saturday at 6:30 a. m. an early hour for practically everyone except children 250 or 1 1 sfc xxx IP 5 iiJ 1 I XXs -iF x-XVxO xx xx xO youngsters hit the ice in Tacoma, I wash. They are members of a four- xx xx sx -x sxxxx xxx XsX 'tcltuc, lo-ieam ice nocKey feewee xVTxVaixKx xt 1 circuit. All of them are under 10 xX XX1 years of aSe- Although they are xxx I pre-teenagers.

they cut the ice with Wry i i XX xXX I wA T1 -x vx if x. 9 1 4 ft, 1 4 I A xxx Jft I X' xxxxx KTfJt 4. -x sx. Jt Jg an ine sieam and daring of adult I players twice their years. Competi- I tion is keen.

No quarter is asked and none given They play to win. iiir vx Hrfts. 11 XX xx I The Peewee league tourney is I under the direction of Murray Pat- rick, former professional ice hockey I star. He believes that the sport gives the junior skaters an oppor- tunity to learn team spirit. The boys are taught that teamwork pro- duces victory, but that at the same I time that there is no disgrace in de- feat there is always another game tomorrow.

xx xxlsL.X. xx s. A. i xXxvS -a a "NO SCORE!" The defending goalie sends puck play back to the fast-skating youngsters. The prefixing through the air in a neat block, shooting the teen-age players show alertness in guarding goal.

oeioie a youngsier can Decome an I ice hockey player in the Peewee league, he must obtain parental con- I sent. Proud fathers and mothers I often pack the seats set aside for 'y i I xax ft "fete ft them when the small-fry stars chase the puck. Every precaution is taken to pre- vent injury; the youngsters wear I v. Jf 5 the same type of protective gloves and pads used by professionals. Whenever a player takes a bad spill he gets an immediate check-up and is not allowed back on the ice until declared fit.

Usually, however, when 1 the boys take a slide, they bounce back to their feet ready for more Before they join the league, the "OOPS. Pardon me," might be the comment of in a scramble for the puck. Scenes like this are bys are good skaters, needing only Dick Bunger, 9, as he collides with Jack Stewart commonplace as the youngsters battle for 'ictory balance, speed that spell victory. mmmimmfmmmmymmkmfmmmmmmiim xi PICTURE of a fighting goalie. Although he is small decker, 9, is still big enough to protect the bit of enough to scoot around inside the goal, Dick Boc- "no-man's-land" from invasion by enemy players.

minimin'iy iiLuuimuiM- rj mm. hulu. umi '''j i -x wfmi' liiilN: wl? 1 2 i if! "I-: 7 7 1 1 xl 6 Hil1VW. j' 'Wo- I' iff W1 EVERY PLAYER is a glamorous star to admiring gladly sign their names. Who knows but that some youngsters who clamor for autographs.

The boys day little fellow might be a top ice hockey player? ''X 'S I V.i i rm IIIHII II II MIIIIH jTriMM 11 '4 I Ml, I 1 1' iff ir fi" -r W''7 x' y' 'J" I 'Jif; ft 'St Ll 1 4w i I Mrt''y 4 ,4 i 1 ,44,, 'fust -v'v'O' A RUBDOWN does wonders for muscles, even if the 9-year-old boys. Junior hockey stars receive same athlete on table and the one waiting his turn are treatment and attention accorded adult players. THE VOICE of experience. Former professional ice hockey star Murray right winger Jack Stewart (left) and goalie Dick Boedecker. Although Patrick, who directs the players, explains fine points of the game to Stewart is only seven, he is one of the league's better players.

King Features Syndicate.