An ID camp was held this past weekend for male and female hockey players hoping to make it on the Yukon's Canada Winter Games team.

Boys coach Jay Glass says the camp was the first look the coaches have had at the potential team, and helped them pick out an ID training roster.

"We've taken a look at the group,” Glass said.

Another camp will be held in August, where a 25-person roster will be selected.

Those 25 will then be cut down to 20 by January 2011, with the games to follow in February.

Glass said there were 32 skaters and five goalies out at the Canada Games Centre on Saturday.

Glass and fellow coach Carrey Pettitte plan to take a full 20-person roster to the Games, which included six defencemen, 12 forwards and two goalies.

While Glass was reluctant to name any players that stuck out, he says those on this year's FSC Bantam Mustangs will have a good chance of being chosen.

"There's a few of them, and they know who they are,” he said.

Glass estimates the final team will be made up of about two thirds bantam players, but he said that could change.

"It really depends what happens in camp in August,” he said.

One thing on the players side is that the age group, 14 to 15-year-olds, are currently going through a lot of physical development, which could mean a player that is smaller now could grow five to six inches by the time the Games roll around.

"This is a big development age for these kids,” Glass said.

The coach says he is happy with both smaller and bigger players, adding that both are needed on a well-rounded hockey team.

"There's speed factors and skill factors,” he said.

One challenge the smaller players have is they may not be able to match the physical game required like bigger players can.

"You're always concerned about whether your smaller players can handle that,” Glass said.

But the coach says many of his smaller players on this year's FSC Bantam Mustangs excelled.

"My smaller players were some of my best players,” he said.

The last host of the Canada Winter Games was Whitehorse, and at those Games, Glass said the male hockey team were competitive against tough teams.

"They did quite well,” he said.

The team managed a win against the Northwest Territories, and was competitive against other provincial teams as well.

"It's difficult at the Canada Games level,” Glass said.

The Yukon has a smaller population to draw from, whereas a province such as Ontario has a much larger group of talented players to pick out of.

"You want to compete against the teams that you can,” said Glass.

But the coach isn't discouraged about Yukon's small hockey population.

"Winning the Canada Games is something that I'm not going to say is impossible,” he said.

One benefit that Yukon players see participating in the Games is the exposure to scouts and the potential to move up in hockey. Glass says that some players that traveled to Whitehorse to compete in the Canada Games in 2007 are now playing in higher leagues.

"There's anywhere from eight to 20 that are now playing in the NHL,” he said.

One familiar face that has seen success post-Games, is Ted Stevens, who is currently playing for the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL.

"There was a lot of exposure for our players,” Glass said of the Canada Games.

"The good players are going to be noticed.”