Feedback needed on minor hockey player feature

Weekly paper, deadline Sunday night. Thanks.

Only a good night’s sleep would suffice for Warriors rookie forward Kyler Ackewance after scoring the series-ending goal in overtime for the high school championship more than a month ago.
Rather than relishing in his team’s accomplishment back at the local hotel to jug back a few Pepsis and pose for a few photos, he “just wanted to go home and go to bed,” said the five-foot-six, 135-pound Grade 9 student.
And when you play as much hockey as this speedy forward does, it’s just another day at the rink. As soon as the buzzard goes, he’s already looking ahead to the next game.
Something Ackewance we’ll be counting down the days and looking ahead to is his invitation to represent Hockey Canada as one of two players attending the IIHF Youth Development Camp in Vierumaki, Finland, July 1-7.
Ackewance could only sum up his feelings to “wicked” and “excited” upon hearing the news last week of being selected in a random draw after Hockey Northwestern Ontario (HNO) narrowed down the stronger candidates from 20.
Ron MacKinnon, Development Coordinator for HNO, would not say how many “strong” candidates there were, but adds Ackewance “definitely has the skills” and that he’ll do “very well.”
Over the years, the development camp has invited many now-famous pro Canadian players, including NHLers New York Islanders forward Jeff Tambellini and Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Daniel LaCosta, plus a handful of Junior players.
Even though this 14-year-old (he turns 15 in October) isn’t one to boast, Ackewance still acknowledges a camp like this might bring his stock a little higher as thoughts of Junior hockey starts to brew.
He also noted he’s looking forward to the camp because he wants to “see what I’m up against.”
Still a little young, Ackewance hopes he can be the next name that comes out of this small town and join alongside the others of Ryan Parent, Jimmy Roy, Mike Richards, and Robbie Lawrence.
Next year’s high school hockey season, which won’t begin until late October, Ackewance is anticipating a few more out of town tournaments so he can gain some exposure, and quite possibly, turn a few heads for the OHL Draft in 2008.
This season, he suited up for four other teams, all of which varied in skill: his house league team, the Western Bantam AAA regional team, Eagle Lake First Nations, and even when he wasn’t supposed to, the local men’s commercial league.
Warriors coach Kevin Berube describes Ackewance as young, yet mature player.
“For what I’ve seen this year, he’s able to handle himself beyond his years,” commented Berube.
Ackewance, quick to point out his flaws, admits he’ll have to improve on at least one skill, which is “faster footwork.”
He self-describes himself as a “team player,” modeling himself after his favourite NHL captain, Calgary Flames’ Jarome Iginla. A team player is what Ackewance defines as a player who “scores goals, sets up plays and does it all.”
Hockey is the only sport Ackewance has tried and continues to play it because it’s more than just fun.
“For one thing, I’m good at it. It’s the only thing I’ve done all my life,” he said.
Ackewance’s only day away from the rink is Saturday, but if he had it his way, there would be none.
“They don’t have ice time (on Saturdays) or else I’d be out there,” said Ackewance, who will have to get adjusted as Memorial Arena shutdown its plant Monday afternoon.
With summer a few weeks away, it’ll also be a change of scenery for him, too.
When asked his hobbies during times of sandy beaches and open lakes, he said he enjoys two things: spending time with family and friends and playing summer hockey.
His mother claims he’ll be taking the summer off thanks to the advice of Berube, however, when calculated, Ackewance will only be off for a span of two weeks from the IIHF Development Camp to his yearly attendance at a hockey school in Ignace.
“I’ll have to get used to it, because I’m used to playing hockey everyday of the week.”
Even when this kid supposed to be school, he’s taking every opportunity of being on the ice.
When the Bulletin tried to contact him at school for an interview, he couldn’t be reached because he playing in the XXX tournament at Memorial Arena last week.
When he got off the ice – in a game that only lasted two periods because of the 7-0 mercy win – he told the reporter he couldn’t talk; he had another game immediately after.
Before moving into town, Ackewance was playing so much that after living in Hudson for a year and half his mother couldn’t take the 10 minute drives to and from the arena.
While living in Hudson, he was awarded the key to shed for the outdoor rink because he was the only one who constantly made use of it.
“If nobody’s out there, I’ll take advantage of skating, improving,” he said of the outdoor rink.
This is the first time HNO, one of 13 minor hockey branches in Canada, won the draw to send a player to the development camp since it started in 1999. The camp, which runs every two years for players, coaches and officials from 55 nations across the world, is all expenses paid at an approximate cost of $2000, expect 10 per cent of the travel cost.
The other Canadian going is a defenceman from PEI.

 

Master Rookie,

I think your lead is a little muddled. I'd tighten it considerably.

Only a good night’s sleep would suffice for Warriors rookie forward Kyler Ackewance after scoring the series-ending goal in overtime for the high school championship more than a month ago.
Rather than relishing in his team’s accomplishment back at the local hotel to jug back a few Pepsis and pose for a few photos, he “just wanted to go home and go to bed,” said the five-foot-six, 135-pound Grade 9 student.
And when you play as much hockey as this speedy forward does, it’s just another day at the rink. As soon as the buzzard goes, he’s already looking ahead to the next game.

Have him sleeping after the scoring the winning goal and playing a lot ... skip the Pepsis ... another day at the rink means nothing ... have him dreaming about the opportunity to go to the development camp.

It's great material to work with -- why don't you get someone from Hockey Canada to talk about the program and the kid.

Bare bones suggestions.

YHS, etc