Young players trying to follow in footsteps

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This article was published 10/04/2011 (5516 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Skating at Westman Place last night, a couple of Yellowhead peewees played in the same rink that their fathers used to call home as Brandon Wheat Kings.

Morgan Geekie and Tucker Scantlebury are 12-year-old centres with Yellowhead’s regional development team in Hockey Manitoba’s 10-team peewee tournament, which began Friday and ends today in Brandon.

Geekie’s father, Craig, and Scantlebury’s dad, Stu, are former Wheat Kings.

"Obviously, there’s pretty good pedigree with a couple of players," said Yellowhead coach Chad Facey. "Their dads had good careers and you can see a lot of similarities in some of those players in some of the things they do on the ice."

Stu Scantlebury played with four Western Hockey League teams, including a couple of seasons with the Wheat Kings, so a visit to Westman Place is always special for son Tucker.

"I’ve played here a few times," Tucker said. "Summer hockey, AAA.

"It’s bigger ice. You can move around more. You’ve got to be skating."

Tucker, who is from Foxwarren, has heard a few WHL tales from his father.

"He used to fight a lot," Tucker said with a laugh.

With a Yellowhead team that stretches wide geographically, Tucker and his teammates are developing more than hockey skills this weekend.

"You get to meet and play with other guys," he said. "Play with different people than regular. It’s good."

Craig Geekie, whose family lives in Strathclair, played with the Wheat Kings and Spokane Chiefs in the early 1990s.

His son Morgan’s teammates with the select Yellowhead team include first cousin Samantha Geekie, a defenceman.

"I’ve played with most of them," Morgan said. "We’re fast. We’re very offensive, but if we need to, I guess we can play defence. We have some good goaltending."

Morgan has been well-schooled in hockey, with advice from his father.

"He shares some personal experiences in how to cope with things," Morgan said. "He’s coached me up to atom. He’s been an assistant coach a couple of times.

"Probably (his best advice is) just go out there and have fun. Shoot the puck and work hard.

"(This weekend) has been a lot of fun. (My goals are) to become a better player and make some new friends. Play hard."

The gathering of second-year peewees is part of the Hockey Manitoba food chain.

"At this peewee level, it’s a lot of skill development, working on some different things and just getting some different coaching maybe than just listening to their parents all the time," Facey said. "(The kids) play with different guys and maybe at a little higher level than their regular home team."

Since mid-March, Yellowhead had six practices and four exhibition games to prepare for the provincial tournament.

"We’re spread from Foxwarren right to the other side of Neepawa, so the whole boundaries, we used it all," said Facey, who lives in Hamiota. "We make a regional team and spread (the representation) out as even as we possibly can to make it fair."

Brandon, the host city, has entered two teams in the development showcase.

Among the Brandonites in the tournament is Jackson Popple, son of former Wheat King Lavern Popple, who is now an assistant coach with the Brandon Midget AAA Wheat Kings.

 

» jmacneil@brandonsun.com