If you have ever spent time in a parking lot after a game a discussion will begin, who is the best player that you have seen? Current or all time? You will always hear comments about certain aspects of individual players. We can almost immediately name a player associated with a certain skill or attribute, but now the OBHA is almost 50 years young and have seen incredible talent over those years and have created the BEST player of all time in both the male and female division of play.
We believe there are 10 attributes required to be the "Perfect Player". We also believe it's impossible to possess all 10 and no player has been repeated although you can make a case for some to be a top a category.
Below are the 10 attributes and their definitions:
Running - Quite simply the most important attribute required to play the game and even more important to be a top player
Male - Robert Mentis
Female – Britni Smith
Shooting—second most important attribute to make a difference and the player that possesses the best overall shooting skills (Slap shot, Wrist shot & Snapshot)
Male - Robert Marchese
Female - Angela James
Stick-handling/Ball Control—The art of controlling the ball.
Male - Chris Morrison Jr
Female - Kaitlyn VanVelzen
"Hands"—The ability to control the ball, receive difficult passes, roof loose balls in and around the crease.
Male – Tony Colucci
Female - Geraldine Heaney
Passing/Play-making - Perfect timing and precision distributing the ball.
Male - Yvon Breton
Female - Oonaugh Hastie
On-Floor Vision—Ability to see the playing surface in a way that allows for plays that other players would otherwise not see. Anticipating the developing play
Male - Gus Kourousis
Female - Lindsey West
Hockey Sense—Makes the correct play and is always a step ahead of the play, rarely caught out of position or off guard.
Male - Matt Tremblett
Female - Vicki Sunohara
Skill—is defined as that player that makes all aspects of the game look effortless. Makes plays at top speeds, shows creativity with the ball, and has an endless supply of moves.
Male - Wayne Shears
Female - Kelly Smith
Strength—Strength is not to be confused with size. This is the player that wins loose ball battles. Controls the ball with players draped all over him.
Male - Terry Griffith
Female - Shannon Doyle
"Heart"/Leadership—This last attribute is more intangible than the other nine, but we as ball hockey fans use these two terms often to describe that player that just seems to get the job done out on the floor. This is the type of player loyal to his organization and teammates. Always seems to be the best player on the floor when the game really matters.
Male - James Mentis
Female - Vicki Ruth
So there we have it. The ten players that would be used for parts to create the perfect ball hockey player.
#WeAreBallHockey
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