The 2008 regular season came to a close with a bang as the Mountaineers closed out the season against first round opponent Edmonton Miners. The game finished in a 6 - 6 tie and it was a heated affair with 3 fights as neither team wanted to give an emotional edge to the other heading into playoffs.

The opening round best-of-5 series will begin in Edmonton versus the Miners on Saturday July 26 and Sunday July 27 at Servus Place, with games 3 and 4 (if necessary) back down in Calgary the following weekend.

Complete scheduling details, stats, standings, and roster details for both regular season play and playoff play can be found at the official website of Alberta Junior A Lacrosse at www.abjralacrosse.com.

Starting in 2008, the Mountaineers began running a 3-star player award system that works similar to the Molson 3-Star's award given out by NHL clubs in most Canadian markets. In this system, 3 game stars are selected with 3 points awarded first star, 2 points for second, and 1 point for third.

One star from each game was selected by the team captains and the other 2 stars were selected by the coaches.

It was a tight race throughout the season with points being awarded to many different players over the course of the regular season. At the end of the season though it came down to consistency and based on the Mountaineers defense-first philosophy, it's no surprise that 2 of the 3-star leaders are part of the defensive core.

The 3-Star leaders for the 2008 regular season are:

1. Donahue, Kiel (O/T): 15 Points (votes: 2=1st, 3=2nd, 3=3rd)
2. Swartout, Kane (G): 13 Points (votes: 4=1st, 0=2nd, 1=3rd)
3. Miller, Brandon (D/T): 12 Points (votes: 2=1st, 3=2nd, 0=3rd)



With honourable mentions going to:

4. Melnyk, Tyler (O/T): 11 Points (votes: 2=1st, 1=2nd, 3=3rd)
5. Dickie, Drew (G): 10 Points (votes: 2=1st, 2=2nd, 0=3rd)

The top three players (3-star award winners) will be formally recognized at the annual players banquet.

The Alberta Junior A League has commissioned and now launched, the official website for Junior A lacrosse in Alberta at www.abjralacrosse.com. The primary purpose of this website is to be the home for all player stats, standings, and scheduling information for all Junior A clubs.

As most fans familiar with Junior A lacrosse in Alberta already know, the division plays an interlocking schedule with the Alberta Senior B division. This presented some unusual challenges in trying to provide a website for the Junior A division because unfortunately, the Senior division elected not to participate in this online initiative.

As a result, you will not find any stats, standings, or scheduling information for Senior teams unless it relates to a Junior-Senior game.

Also, because scheduling information will be provided at www.abjralacrosse.com, it will no longer be provided on the Mountaineers official website.

Starting in 2008, the Mountaineers are now running a 3-Star player award system that works similar to the Molson 3-Star's award given out by NHL clubs in most Canadian markets. In this system, 3 game stars are selected with 3 points awarded first star, 2 points for second, and 1 point for third.

These awards replace the traditional player awards of offensive player of the year, defensive player of the year, and team MVP awards. The coaching staff believes that this new system emphasizes the recognition of many different types of contributions made by players, not just point getters or defensive specialists.

The 3-Star leaders at the end of June are:

1. Miller, Brandon: 12 Points


2. Melnyk, Tyler: 10 Points


3. Swartout, Kane: 9 Points

Starting in 2008, the Mountaineers are now running a 3-Star player award system that works similar to the Molson 3-Star's award given out by NHL clubs in most Canadian markets. In this system, 3 game stars are selected with 3 points awarded first star, 2 points for second, and 1 point for third.

These awards replace the traditional player awards of offensive player of the year, defensive player of the year, and team MVP awards. The coaching staff believes that this new system emphasizes the recognition of many different types of contributions made by players, not just point getters or defensive specialists.

The 3-Star leaders at the end of May are:

• Tied with 6 Points
  Swartout, Kane (G)
  Melynk, Tyler


• 4 Points
  Donahue, Kiel

The Mountaineers 4th Annual Golf Tournament has been scheduled and all Mountaineers clubs are now accepting participants. Over the first three years of holding this tournament it has been a great success in large part because the format of the tournament allows for all level of players to come out and enjoy themselves.

The 2008 version should once again be a success and this year the club is doing things a little different in terms of prize givaways which we hope will shave a little time off the end of the day but still allow everyone to have a great time.

Only 144 spots are available on a first-come-first-serve basis so submit your entry form immediatly.

• When: Thursday, July 3th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
• Where: Speargrass Colf Course (click here for directions)
• Format: Shot Gun; Callaway scoring system (everybody wins!)
• Cost: $150.00 / player (includes green fees, carts, an outstanding meal, and prizes)
• Download your entry form (download now) or fill out the online entry form below.

Mountaineers Golf Tournament: Online Entry Form

(* required)

First Name: *	Last Name: *	Contact Number: *
Number of Golfers: *	Email Address: *	Team you Support: * All Jr A Mountaineers Jr B Mountaineers Sr B Mountaineers
Upon hitting the 'Register' button, an email will be sent to your inbox which will contain a link and payment details. You must click on the link to finalize the registration process. You will also be contacted by a club representative to verify your entry into the golf tournament.

The Mountaineers are pleased to announce the addition of Dave Unger to the coaching staff.

Dave is a product of the BC lacrosse system but has been living and coaching in the Calgary area for the past few years, years that included time with the Midget A Axemen, Junior B Shamrocks, and most recently with the Mountaineers cross-town rivals, the Junior A Raiders.

Dave has over 35 years of coaching experience and has a keen eye for identifying subtle technical issues with players and then implimenting corrective measures to make that player better. Dave's responsibilities with the Junior A Mountaineers will include game-day analysis, scouting, and practice analysis, all of which will result in heavy consulting with the coaching staff.

If you wish to contact Dave please anytime.

The Junior A Mountaineers 2008 regular season schedule has been released by the RMLL.

Due to the folding of the Senior Red Deer Rage the 2008 schedule took some tweaks and looks somewhat different then previous years. Most noticably, the Junior clubs are taking on the burden of the extra travel and all Junior teams will now play each Senior team once. In addition, each Junior A club will only play 17 games rather then the usual 18.

There are a few places you can find the schedule:

• Visit game center under Fan Center.
• Visit our online calendar under Fan Center.

The 2008 version of the Junior A Mountaineers is really starting to take form. The club has offered 24 of 25 player cards including 22 runners and 2 goalies which leaves 1 final roster spot available and currently being competed for by 3 players.

Thanks to an early start to training camp, some aggressive recruiting, and some large improvements with returning players, the 2008 Mountaineers have improved at virtually all positions.

The coaching staff is excited to see huge improvements in many returning players but are also pleased with all the newcomers including some Alberta groomed players such as Joel Stretz, Mark Bolger, Andrew Smistad, Mike Holland, Tyler Melnyk, Matt Melnyk, Andrew Houghton, and Jordan Ferguson, as well as imports Kiel Donahue and Ben Weatherbee.

The Junior A and Junior B Mountaineers will be partnering up for a unique fundraising event called a "Reverse Draw" which promises to be a very entertaining night for all involved.

Here are the key details but download the event sheet for more:

• Date: Thursday, April 17, 2008
• Time: Cocktails start at 6:00 pm; Dinner starts at 7:00 pm; entire evening is expected to conclude between 10:00 - 11:00 pm
• Place: Southern Alberta Pioneers Memorial Building (also called the Pioneer Lodge at 3625 - 4 St. S.W.)
  
  

Silent auction - auction items include:
Together with the reverse draw itself, there will also be a silent auction running throughout the evening. Auction items include:

• Dinner and one night stay in the Post Hotel, Lake Louise
• Kiprusoff Autographed Stick
• Golf Bag
  
  

Ticket price: $150.00 - Includes:

• Buffet dinner (choice of Roast beef or Vegetarian Lasagna)
• Open bar (beer, spirits, non-alcoholic beverages)
• Only 125 tickets sold
• Last person drawn wins grand prize of $3000.00
• First and every 25th ticket drawn wins a prize (person drawn receives $150.00)

Here is how it works:

• Ticket stubs which contain your ticket number are taken at time of purchase and subsequently go into ticket-barrel at event.
• All names also go onto large 'name board' for everyone to see.
• One ticket drawn from ticket barrel at a time.
• Ticket pulled from barrel gets taken down from the large 'name board.'
• Last name on the board wins the grand prize ($3,000.00)

Tickets can be purchased through any team member or by emailing club President , or calling Bill at 862-4525 anytime.

Download the event sheet to learn more.

The Mountaineers are pleased to announce the teams leadership group for 2008. The players who have taken on this challenge are:

• Captain: Tyler Pridham
• Assistant Captain: Tom Acton
• Home Captain: Troy Kachor
• Away Captain: Sean Pesowski

These players have been identified as team captains because they exemplify the dedication to the game, the effort the coaches expect on the floor, and the attitude in the dressing room that the coaching staff would like to see from every player.

Congratulations to each of them.

Andy Williams, one of the original coaches with the Mountaineers, is stepping back from his assistant coaching role with the club and taking on a new role as the Head Minor Box Scout.

Andy and his wife have just had their second child and are also extremely busy running a successful print shop called Stone Mountain Graphics. Because of these large committments, Andy will take on the less time consuming role of Head Minor Box scout which will be a great asset to the club as very detailed scouting information for emerging talent will be made available.

This is a very brief rundown on the CLA player transfer policy, also referred to as the import policy.

Each Junior A team is allowed to bring in no more then 3 import players per season, and can have a maximum of only 5 imports on the team at any given time.

In addition, the CLA has cracked down on the most common reason a team uses for not categorizing a player as an import, the "I'm moving for reasons other then lacrosse" reason.

What does this mean for you?

It means that no team can bring in more then 3 out of province players in any season, for any reason anymore. In other words, you may have assumed that just because the Mountaineers are hosting the 2008 Minto Cup that we are stocking up on "imports" and that Alberta-based players would not have a shot at making the team. Nothing could be further from the truth. We may be bringing in imports, but no more then 3.

The 2008 Junior A South draft has been scheduled for Monday, February 18 via conference call. During this draft all Junior A teams will draft 11 graduating Midgets (10 runners and 1 goalie) as well as fill their remaining 34 protected list spots with existing Junior B and Junior A players, thereby making up each teams 45-man protected list.

The Mountaineers main tryout / training camp will get started in March and continue through to the start of the season in May.

Some dates for the main camp are now available and posted under Player Camps. Note that as floor time becomes available within the City of Calgary, additional sessions throughout March and April will be added.

Head coach John Kilbride will be joined by two familiar faces behind the bench for the 2008 season -- Rich Kilbride and Geoff Rainsford.

When work commitments became too much for Assistant Coach Rich Kilbride he formally removed himself from the coaching staff shortly into the 2007 season. Now, with a more manageable work schedule and a desire to get back into the coaching ranks, Rich will once again be joining the staff full-time.

Rich brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the club. As a former Junior A star in the BC Junior A league Rich played a big-mans role but also had the gift of soft hands. No one ever accused Rich of being the fastest player on the team, except while towing a piano, so he developed into one of the smartest. He's been able to translate his skills as player into skills as a coach and knows how to deliver a message.

Geoff Rainsford will be joining the coaching staff as the new goalie coach. Geoff is a former Junior A Mountaineer star himself, having aged-out of Junior in 2007 after establishing himself as one of the best Junior goalies in the province. Geoff was drafted by the Roughnecks and attended his first NLL pro-camp in October 2007. He will bring a keen eye to his role and make sure the Junior A Mountaineers goalies are getting the attention they need.

The rest of the coaching staff is rounded out by brothers Aaron and Andy Williams, both of whom continue to make significant contributions to the team and have become trusted resources for John Kilbride.

Head Coach, John Kilbride announced the 2007 player awards at the Junior A Mountaineers annual banquet in December.

The 2007 season highlighted some significant development among a number of players and there was a particularly strong showing in the awards category from the defensive side of the ball.

This years recipients recieved a beautiful glass with the Mountaineers logo engraved in it; awards went to:

• Rookie of the Year: Bradon Hergott
• Offensive Player of the Year: Tyler Farmer
• Defensive Player of the Year: Brandon Miller
• Graduating Player of the Year: Geoff Rainsford
• Playoff MVP: Tom Acton
• Team MVP: Tom Acton
• Top Emerging Talent: Sean Pesowski

If you are reading this post then you are probably aware of the fact that the Junior A Mountaineers are the host club for the 2008 Minto Cup. In preparation for the 2008 Minto Cup, the Mountaineers are actively recruiting 2 or 3 Junior A-calibre players that would be considered "impact" players with respect to skill-set, experience, or both.

As the host club, the Mountaineers are guaranteed a spot in the tournament. As such, this is a tremendous opportunity for a Junior A-calibre player who feels that he may not get a legitimate chance at ever playing in a Minto Cup.

We are looking to sign players who are high quality Junior B player, have the potential to be an impact player on the floor, and would consider themselves a leader in the dressing room. This type of individual would compliment our existing leadership group and push returning players to a new level of play.

The Mountaineers currently have a job program in place and would be able to place you in summer work with a lacrosse-friendly company. Also, the organization would make any required arrangements with respect to accommodation such as placing you in a house with a teammate.

If you have any interest, then please email head coach

The Mountaineers 3rd Annual Golf Tournament has now been scheduled and all Mountaineers clubs are now accepting participants. Only 144 spots are available on a first-come-first-serve basis so submit your entry form immediatly.

• When: Thursday, July 5th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
• Where: Speargrass Colf Course (click here for directions)
• Format: Shot Gun; Callaway scoring system
• Cost: $150.00 / player (includes green fees, carts, an outstanding meal, and prizes)
• Please download your entry form (download now) or fill out the online entry form below.

Mountaineers Golf Tournament: Online Entry Form

(* required)

First Name: *	Last Name: *
Contact Number: *	Email Address: *
Upon hitting the 'Register' button, an email will be sent to your inbox which will contain a link and payment details. You must click on the link to finalize the registration process. You will also be contacted by a club representative to verify your entry into the golf tournament.

The 2007 Junior A Mountaineers regular season schedule has been released by the RMLL. Unless further changes come down from the league, the Junior A Mountaineers will open the season on Wednesday, April 25 (8:45 pm) against their Calgary rivals, the Junior A Raiders.

Visit the Game Center for further details (found under Game Day).

The 2007 Junior A Mountaineers practice and dryland training schedule is now posted on the calendar.

Visit the Calendar for a quick look, or the Game Center for complete details (found under Game Day).

The 2007 Junior A Mountaineers season pass is now available for purchase ($35.00).

Purchase your 2007 Mountaineers season pass either by contacted the Mountaineers club President, or call Bill at 403-585-7591, or at the start of any home game.

Your season pass is good for all Junior A, Junior B, and Senior B home games. That's 28 lacrosse games!

In what can only be viewed as a tremendous opportunity for the Junior A Mountaineers, the club has been awarded the 2008 Minto Cup in what will only be the clubs third year of operation.

"This is a great positive for our club in the sense that the 2008 Minto Cup will take place in only our third year of operation. Although from an organizational perspective we are relatively young, our experience level at the director and management level is up there with the best in the country and I think the ALA recognizes that expererience." says head coach, John Kilbride

The Minto Cup is the pinnacle of Junior A lacrosse excellence in Canada and to go into the tournament in 2008 and compete for the trophy will be a significant challenge for the Mountaineers. Historically, Alberta clubs have not faired that well in the Minto Cup, let alone challenge for the trophy itself.

Kilbride goes on to say:

"Our goal will be to represent Alberta in the 2007 Minto Cup being held in New Westminster, BC, but this alone will be a very difficult challenge as the other three Junior A clubs in Alberta will be very strong and of course, the Junior A Miners and the Junior A Raiders have a degree of experience from previous Minto Cup appearances that cannot be coached, it must be attained.

Having said that, should we be successful in our goal for 2006, our players will have the chance to experience this tournament first hand and recognize what level of excellence must be achieved to be a serious contender. This will set the stage for our program for 2008 when the tournament is in Calgary."

As tremendous a positive as this is for the Junior A Mountaineers Lacrosse Club, it is equally a significant challenge from a financial perspective. The financial burden of hosting this tournament falls primarily on the host club itself, and the task of breaking even is not a reality without significant corporate sponsorship.

The club is optimistic that corporate Calgary, local small business, and the Alberta lacrosse community in general, will embrace the 2008 Minto Cup and support the Mountaineers in their quest to make the 2008 Minto Cup one of the most professionally run events in recent memory.

Also of significant news is that this is not just a win for the Junior A Mountaineers but also for the Calgary District Lacrosse Association and, in particular, the Midget Nationals bid group. The 2008 Minto Cup is being hosted in partnership with the 2008 Midget Nationals. The Midget Nationals group worked closely with the Mountaineers Lacrosse Club in order to put forth a strong, cohesive proposal. This work seems to have paid off and now the entire Calgary lacrosse community will have an opportunity to see the best lacrosse players Canada has to offer at both the Midget and Junior A levels.

As important announcements and details regarding the 2008 Minto Cup become available, they will be posted in the "Minto Cup" section of our website.

Download ALA / RMLL News Release

A new Google interactive calendar-of-events has been added to the "Fan Center" section of the website. Now fans, supporters, and players can view upcoming events including practice and game times for the Junior A Mountaineers.

Overview

The Junior A division holds an annual draft that is subdivided into two components; the graduating Midget-aged players component, and the existing Junior-aged player component. In 2007, the number of players drafted (i.e. protected) by each Junior A club is 45, with 10 runners and 1 goalie falling into the graduating Midget-aged category, and the remaining 34 falling into the Junior-aged category.

If you were protected by a Junior A club in 2006, then you remain the property of that club. If you were not protected in the draft, then you are a free agent and may play for any team in the province.

Currently,, there are only three ways to be moved from the Junior A team that holds your rights:

1. Outright release
2. Trade
3. You do not sign with that club by the time you turn 19

Player Cards

The 45-man protected list is the pool from which Junior A clubs draw their 25-man active roster from. To sign a player card means you are part of that Junior A teams 25-man active roster. Remember, not all protected players sign a player card.

Uncarded 19 Year Olds

To elaborate, if you do not sign a player card by the time you are 19 years old, then you become a free agent and are therefore permitted to tryout for another Junior A club. This is a new provision in the 2007 Junior A by-laws, and is retroactive to all existing protected lists.

Protected List Freeze

The 45-man protected list for each club is frozen from July 1 of each year until the draft the following year (i.e. July 1 to February the following year). Players can be dropped from the protected list at any time, but may not be added during this timeframe. This provision will operate retroactively to July 1, 2006. Any players added to any team's roster since that date must be dropped from the 45-man protected list.

Five days prior to the draft each team will submit to the Junior A Commissioner the names of those players being protected from last year's rosters.

Draft Order

The team that finished lower in the standings has the option whether to pick first in the graduating Midget draft first, or in the Junior player draft. Picks alternate throughout.

Draft Date

The official date has not been determined as of yet however due to CLA regulations it will not be any later than February 28.

Questions

If you have any questions regarding the draft or your status with the Junior A Mountaineers, please email head coach

The following is a notice from the ALA and CLA to all players and teams:

To Players:
"Under the new CLA Transfer Policy, teams are not permitted to communicate with players without first receiving permission from the team who you were last registered with or who has placed you on their negotiation list. If you wish to solicit try-outs from other teams, please ensure to get written permission from your previous team or the team who has placed you on their negotiation list."

To Teams:
"If a player contacts you soliciting a tryout, please inform them they must first provide proof of written permission from the team holding their playing rights before you can speak with them or get the written permission from the team holding the rights to the player yourself. By following this procedure, you should avoid the of a charge of tampering under the new CLA Transfer Policy."

Each year the Minto Cup is hosted by a Junior A club in either British Columbia, Ontario, or Alberta -- the three provinces which play Junior A lacrosse. The process of becoming the Minto Cup host team is based on a bid process for which any team in the host province may submit a bid. The Minto Cup tournament rotates among the three provinces with Junior A divisions.

For the 2008 Minto Cup, the Junior A Mountaineers have submitted what is believed to be a very strong bid. It is expected that the successful bid will be announced prior to the 2007 regular season.

This is an exciting process for the Junior A Mountaineers executive, management, and players because a successful bid will guarantee a birth into this illustrious championship, and provide our players with an experience of a lifetime. Having said that, it is the objective to become the Alberta Junior A Champion not only in 2008, but also in 2007.

As you can imagine, hosting a high profile tournament such as the Minto Cup is a very involved process. We will be counting on our supporters, and the lacrosse community at in general, should our bid be successful.

The Junior A Mountaineers will be holding their 2007 Midget Identification Camp starting in February. Please view camp details in the Tryout Camps section under 'Team.'

Staying true to the Junior A Mountaineers professional image, the club held their first annual players banquet on December 29 at the revitalized Ramada Inn in downtown Calgary.

The banquet featured a sharp program that included an address from club President, Bill Sucha that highlighted the many successes the club enjoyed during the 2006 season as well as what the club has to look forward to in 2007. Also featured was a great video montage that illustrated the fan support, community support, and of course, much of the great on-floor action from 2006.

In addition, Head Coach, John Kilbride addressed the attendies which included a much deserved 'thank-you' to club executives and supporters including Bill Sucha, Leslie Churchill, and Brian Farmer, each of whom was instrumental in acquiring the expansion Junior A franchise.

Coach Kilbride also delivered the 2006 player awards to some very worthy recipients and included some inspiring commentary on each player before announcing the recipient. This years awards went to:

• Rookie of the Year: Dan Farmer
• Offensive Player of the Year: Darrell Tuck
• Defensive Player of the Year: Stephen Cardon
• Graduating Player of the Year: Colin Risi
• Playoff MVP: Brandon Miller
• Team MVP: Tyler Pridham
• Honorable Mentions: Goaltending tandem of Kane Swartout and Geoff Rainsford

Overall the banquet was very well attended by players, parents, fans, and sponsors, and should be a great annual event for years to come.

Head Coach, John Kilbride announced the 2006 player awards at the Junior A Mountaineers annual banquet. Rather then simply inviting each recipient up to recieve their award, Kilbride included some detailed commentary on each players unique skill-set which included information about the individuals lacrosse skills, of course, but also some insight into the recipients character.

Each player certainly was worthy of their award but as Coach Kilbride mentioned, the Mountaineers was a very well-rounded club, which is a positive sign that every player has a role, and excelled at their role.

This years recipients recieved a beautiful glass with the Mountaineers logo engraved in it; awards went to:

• Rookie of the Year: Dan Farmer
• Offensive Player of the Year: Darrell Tuck
• Defensive Player of the Year: Stephen Cardon
• Graduating Player of the Year: Colin Risi
• Playoff MVP: Brandon Miller
• Team MVP: Tyler Pridham
• Honorable Mentions: Goaltending tandem of Kane Swartout and Geoff Rainsford

2006 marked the inagural season for the Junior A Mountaineers, and by all accounts it was a tremendous success.

Most people never experience the process involved with creating a new (i.e. expansion) sports franchise, let alone a sports franchise that represents the highest level of play in the country for that age group (17 - 21). Needless to say, there are significant hurdles and, at times, it did not look like it was going to happen.

"With elite level athletics comes elite level expectations with respect to the on-floor product, but also the level of professional excellence with the clubs executive, management, and coaching staff" comments Head Coach, John Kilbride. By all accounts, expectations were met.

The process of Junior A expansion began not too long before the 2006 season was actually scheduled to begin. With only a few months to put together a competitive expansion bid that included a professional executive team, competent coaching staff, community support from the RMLL, ALA, and CDLA (just to mention a few supporters), plus enough corporate support to meet the financial obligations of the club, the entire process was a whirlwind to say the least.

After overcoming some substantial hurdles, the Junior A Mountaineers, together with their expansion brethren from the North, the Junior A Eclipse, were granted expansion franchises under conditions that allowed both clubs to be competitive in their inagural season.

On the floor, the Mountaineers enjoyed a very promising season that included some inconsistency that would be expected from an expansion franchise. However, the talent base of the club is sound and expectations are that the Mountaineers will be competing for National Championships for many years to come.

Once again the Mountaineers Lacrosse Club, which includes not just the Junior A Mountaineers but also the Junior B and Senior B Mountaineers, held their annual golf tournament.

This tournament is now going into its fourth year and serves as not only an amazing fundraiser for the Junior A Mountaineers, but also as an outstanding way to recognize and say 'thanks' to the clubs many corporate sponsors and supporters.

Included in the tournament events is everything one would expect from a professionally run golf tournament. Including special prizes throughout the course for longest drive, longest putt, closest to the pin; plus, for the more challenged golfers among us, shortest drive. Also, participants always enjoy the putting and chipping contests for yearly bragging rights.

The event ticket includes what is always a terrific dinner housed outdoors under the cover of the event tent. This provides a great atmosphere under which club sponsors and supporters are recognized and thanked for their ongoing support.

Event details for the 2007 tournament will be posted soon so check the Events page often for details so you can get your ticket.