Hockey players with dreams of donning a Mustangs jersey will have the opportunity to showcase their skills in the coming weeks at the annual rep team tryouts.

"The tryouts are open for all kids," said John Grant, president of the Whitehorse Minor Hockey Association.

"One of the sad realities is you get a lot of kids that won't try because they are afraid of failing and it's ice time, (so) they might learn something and they might just show something. So the fact that you may not get picked shouldn't have any barring over coming out."

The different levels of rep hockey teams in Whitehorse include Atom, PeeWee, Bantam and Midget players.

Atom players are between the ages of Atom nine and 10, while PeeWee hockey members can be either 11 or 12 years old. Bantam players are 13 to 14 years old and midgets can be anywhere between 15 to 18.

The costs to participate in the Mustang tryouts are $50 for both PeeWee and Atom players, while Bantams and Midgets have to pay $50. The money will go towards the cost of renting ice at the Canada Games Centre.

There is no head coach for the Midget Mustangs, but Grant is hopeful someone will step forward by Sept. 25 at the latest. Former Bantam Mustangs co-coach Jim Stephens will lead the tryouts for the Midgets during the month of September.

To coach rep hockey requires a little more elevated coaching credentials, which Grant said seems to be biggest drawback with filling the positions.

As a result of this, Whitehorse Minor Hockey will hold a developmental one coaching clinic in October to make sure that everyone who is interested will have the necessary credentials.

Grant is also one of the coaches on the Atom Mustang team Last year, the Atoms were all first year players, but this coming season the team has have seven or eight players who are still eligible to tryout.

The Atom Mustangs will have seven on-ice sessions, which will begin Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and finish on Sept. 24.

PeeWee tryouts will start on Saturday at 2:15 p.m. and wrap up on Sept. 24.

The Bantams will hit the ice on Friday at 6:15 p.m. and finish Sept. 28 with a rep practice at the Northwestel rink.

The Midget tryouts are scheduled to begin Sunday at 3:30 p.m. on the Olympic rink.

The midget team will be finalized after a rep practice on Sept. 28.

Whitehorse's female rep team, the Avalanche, will also hold tryouts, beginning Sept. 13 at 12:45 at the Olympic Ice Surface.

The team's next practice will be on Sept. 20 and its final session is scheduled for Sept. 27.