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Michael Tilbury (12) and his teammates celebrating after a big goal.

A part of such a diverse and rich sports culture at the Saints Senior School, the Saints hockey team returns again in hopes for another successful season. Looking to build on the positives from last season, coaches Mr. Fredeman and Mr. Wyatt are eager to commence the season.

Coach Mr. Fredeman stated during a player meeting that he is really looking to take the hockey program to the next level. The team will play up to 35 games this year, and depending on the level of play and skill level on this team this year, Coach Fredeman hopes to eventually create a hockey academy at the school in the future years. The team is also looking at a potential trip to Europe next year, and playing some games overseas. Coach Mr. Fredeman sees this season as a pivotal year in the development and growth of the program.

One of the biggest events of the season is when the team participates in Ross Cup, an annual tournament held on Vancouver Island. Last year, the team played extremely well throughout the tournament; however, finished the tournament with a tough shootout loss in the finals against rival Prince of Wales. The Saints Hockey team is looking for a big bounce in the tournament this year.

The team is filled with promising talent, as the team this year consists of 5 junior players. Of that five includes Blake Hayward (12), who is playing at the Junior A level for the Coquitlam Express. The other four junior players are currently playing for various Junior B teams: Devon Mussio (11), Michael Tilbury (12), Justin Schwartz (12), and Jonah Dutz (12).

Although there are several returnees this year, there are many new faces that are Varsity hopefuls.  Although Saints is not depicted as a sport as popular as Saints Basketball or Saints Soccer within the school, it is one of the biggest sports communities at the school. As tryouts are held December 1st and 3rd, an estimated 65 kids will be trying out for the Varsity and Junior Varsity teams.

The Saints Varsity team has participated in many tournaments, but this year marks the first year that the team will host its own tournament, and is something new and exciting that many of the returning players are looking forward to. The tournament will consist of many other teams across the city.

Returning player Jamie Ambrose (11) explains that “The Saints hockey team last year was a really fun team to be apart of. We had a couple ups and downs, but at the end of the day I took away some great memories. We had a great group on guys on the team, and I am really looking forward to another great season”.

Furthermore, Junior B player and returning goalie Jonah Dutz (12) had a lot of positive things to say about the team. “Varsity hockey at Saints has played a huge role in my high school life. The experiences that I’ve had with the team and the lessons I’ve learnt throughout the years will stick with me forever. Although we faced a tough lost in the finals last year, I’m excited to get back on the ice and make my last year on the team a memorable one.”

For many players, the hockey season is one of their favorite times of the year. The long-awaited season starts on Monday, December 7th when the team takes on long-time rival Prince of Wales.