AUBURN — Thom Labrie watched his family travel thousands of miles and invest thousands of dollars so that his grandson, Caleb, could face the best hockey competition for his age group in the region.

And for what? Curious and enterprising by nature, Labrie spotted University of Maine hockey coach Tim Whitehead at the school’s annual youth camp and decided to find out.

He got an earful.

“I walked up and just asked him if he saw anything in my grandson that told him there was a realistic chance (of him ever playing at Maine). Before I could even get the question out of my mouth, he said, ‘No.’ I stood there flabbergasted,” Labrie said.

This, after years — now nine, in all — of time and money invested.

Whitehead did his best to cushion the blow. He went on to explain the reason for his answer: That the player in question was from Maine, not a Canadian province or a hotbed state such as Michigan, Minnesota or New York with a giant, proven development program.

Labrie is part of a group hoping to change that picture and that perception.

Together with Ingersoll Arena manager Mike Berube and former Lewiston Maineiacs coach Jeff Guay, he has announced the launch of a midget development team in the Twin Cities.

The U16 (age 16 and under) program is designed for players with birth years from 1995 to 1997 who will be enrolled in high school next fall.

Tryouts are scheduled this Saturday, April 30, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Ingersoll Arena.

“We don’t have a lot of time, and 98 percent of the parents don’t know about the team,” Labrie said. “Hockey season ends just about now, and as soon as it ends, people start committing to next year.”

Labrie said that the not-for-profit team will start on a one-year trial basis.

Guay has been named head coach. Berube will direct the on-ice schedule, while Labrie plans to manage off-ice activities.

Each of those phases will be a significant part of the program, separating it from what Labrie describes as the “drill and game” approach of many junior teams.

“Our primary focus will be on the development of players,” he said. “The agenda will include physical development as well as classroom and ice time.”

Until now, players from Lewiston, Auburn and surrounding communities wanting to play for an elite-level youth team were forced to travel to Gorham, Portland or Biddeford-Saco.

Labrie’s grandson played for the Biddeford-based Jr. Pirates this past season.

“It is an extremely expensive proposition. It was a 105-mile round trip to practice, three times a week. Playing games in Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Massachusetts, all over hell, often getting beat,” Labrie said. “Mike and I have discussed the need to implement a real development program.”

The franchise will pattern itself after USA Hockey’s ADM (American Development Model) initiative.

It’s a holistic approach to the game. In addition to on-ice sessions and games, the program will include supervised workouts and lectures by local coaches and officials.

“One frustrating thing I’ve seen is that after nine years, a lot of kids don’t really know the rules,” Labrie said. “They have the raw skills, but they don’t understand the game. We will break the game down into its basic elements.”

Labrie stressed that the new enterprise is not intended to compete with or criticize any of the local youth hockey programs.

If the trial run is successful and the team prospers, he believes it will only enhance a symbiotic relationship between the feeder system and the elite squad.

“We did a small market survey, called parents and got a very positive reaction. They all recognize the need for something like this,” Labrie said.

The team will keep its fees relatively low: $20 for the tryout; $790 per player for the program.

“There’s so much talent among coaches and players in this area, but there’s no program to capitalize on that talent. That’s why so many players leave,” said Labrie. “We hope to put a successful team together and wake people up to the fact that it’s very doable locally.”

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