Rains, Geoff

BORN SEPTEMBER 24TH, 1974 in Toronto ON Canada to Australian parents Ray and Canadian-born Peggy, he began hockey in the South Australian junior league at age seven and in 1983 competed in the inaugural Under-13 Championship (President's Cup, now Ginsberg). In 1987 he was Captain and top point scorer of the State team that won the President's Cup in Melbourne, then Alternate Captain and top scorer of the State team that won the Defris Trophy (U16) in Adelaide in 1989. He was also a first line All-Star.

In 1990, he was the youngest player with the National Youth Team (U18) competing in the Asian-Oceania Championships in Seoul, South Korea. He also played his first senior hockey with the Tigers who were A-grade Premiers that year. Alternate captain of the state team that won the Tange Trophy (U18) in 1990 and 1991, he was top scorer in '90, runner-up in '91, and an All-Star both years. In 1991 he won his second A-grade premiership with the Tigers, then in 1992 he was captain of the National Youth Team competing in the Asian-Oceania Championships in Japan.

He spent the summer of '92 working in Reggies Sandwich Factory in Barrie, Ontario, where he tried out with the Barrie Colts. He was cut late when all the Junior-A and Junior-B camps were finished. The team never lost a regular season game and went on to win the Sutherland Cup. Many of the players then went on to pro or college hockey, including John Madden who won an NCAA championship and three Stanley Cups. Instead, he played AAA Juvenile in the Barrie Minor Hockey Association.

In 1993-4, he attended the Cowichan Valley Capitals camp in Canada with John Oddy, but both missed out. He returned home for the Brown Trophy (U21) in Sydney in July 1993, scored the winning goal, and was selected to the second line All-Stars. He returned to Barrie association hockey, filling a vacancy in defense, and remained there for the season. He returned home in August 1994 and captained the successful SA Brown teams in Adelaide in '94 and Brisbane in '95. He won the Goodall Cup representing South Australia in 1995 and returned in 1996, his last season due to work commitments. Over a playing career spanning 15 years, he had won every one of the five age-delimited national trophies.