While summer sports start to wind down as we reach the latter half of August, Yorkton athletes are aiming for spots on the ice.
Several local hockey players are heading out for Western Hockey League (WHL) camps this week. They鈥檙e looking to catch coaches鈥� eyes and earn positions on one of the 22 teams in the division.
Yorkton players will travel to Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia to try out for the teams. For certain players, it will be a homecoming of sorts.
Carson Miller is returning to the Prince Albert Raiders for the third year. He鈥檚 excited to meet his teammates and build a successful season.
鈥淓very year is a little bit different,鈥� he said. 鈥淐oming back as a veteran, you want to show...leadership and...help [your teammates] out.鈥�
Keenan Taphorn, who鈥檚 heading to the Kootenay Ice camp in Cranbrook, B.C., is pumped to see his friends from around the country.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to...seeing how [the guys] progressed over the summer and what skills they picked up,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good time in the year, hanging out with all your teammates, and ultimately trying to win the championship.鈥�
The camps won鈥檛 be walks in the park. They can be grueling physical tests. Competing with other players only makes the camps that much more difficult. Brett Kemp, who鈥檚 playing for the Edmonton Oil Kings, knows how tough the camps can be.
鈥淥ur camp goes Friday to Wednesday, so by Tuesday you鈥檙e kind of feeling it,鈥� he said. 鈥淣o one really has a spot right now, so we gotta go in with a mindset of trying to make the team.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a grind,鈥� said Ryder Korczak, who鈥檚 attending the Calgary Hitmen camp.
Kael DePape, 15, who鈥檚 played with the Yorkton Maulers, will be attending his first WHL camp when he plays for the Lethbridge Hurricanes. He鈥檚 eager to earn a spot on the team.
鈥淚鈥檓 pretty young and going to a WHL camp is a big step for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are lots of guys, so it鈥檚 pretty intimidating.鈥�
The players will leave Yorkton throughout the week as they journey to their respective camps. Miller thinks the WHL teams provide an excellent opportunity for personal and athletic growth.
鈥淲e鈥檙e at a certain time in life where we can enjoy a sport and get together and make some memories and make some friendships that last a lifetime,鈥� he said.
