INNISFAIL – Hard work, developing skill and determination often lead to success in hockey.
It’s a path that Innisfail’s Cole Fox is familiar with.
The 15-year-old defenceman with the Red Deer Rebels AAA Bantam team is one of 120 players from across the province chosen by Hockey Alberta to compete in the 2019 Alberta Cup in Red Deer from April 24 to 28.
Rosters were finalized following three regional camps held in Calgary, Blackfalds, and Spruce Grove from March 29 to 31.
“It’s really exciting because there’s quite a few kids. It’s quite an honour to be selected to play for Team Alberta,” said Fox.
Two teams were formed from each regional camp including two from northern Alberta, two from Central Alberta and two from southern Alberta. Teams black, blue, green, grey, red and yellow make up the six teams competing in the four-day tournament.
Teams Black and Blue, representing the central zone, had about 200 players vying for a spot on one of the two teams.
Fox was chosen for Team Blue and was one of the top 12 defencemen selected from a group of 68 that tried out from the central region.
Fox played with Innisfail Minor Hockey Association for seven years, from dynamite to his first year of peewee. He then went to Olds and played his second year of AA peewee and his first year of AA Bantam before playing for the Red Deer Rebels AAA Bantam team.
He said he’s worked hard to progress his game and develop skills over the years.
“I think my skating is one of my stronger suits and how I see the ice,” he said. “(Those skills) pretty much got me selected I think.”
He said he’s looking forward to the 2019 Alberta Cup.
“I’m really excited to meet a lot of new teammates and play with a lot of new guys I’ve never played with before,” said Fox.
The Alberta Cup is an opportunity for Hockey Alberta to identify prospects for their U16 male provincial team and a final opportunity for Western Hockey League (WHL) scouts to evaluate eligible players for the WHL bantam draft.
This year the 2019 WHL bantam draft will take place in Red Deer on May 2. Players born in 2004, like Fox, are eligible for the draft.
Fox said he’s realistic about being drafted into the WHL but will put in his best effort forward during the Alberta Cup, in hopes of being noticed.
“I’m quite excited to show my skill to a few (WHL) scouts and hopefully it translates into getting drafted,” said Fox. “There’s a lot of good competition, so hopefully I can translate my game watching some of those guys and get better through that,” he added.
“I want to keep getting better and hopefully make the team that I want to make next year (the Red Deer Rebels Midget AAA team),“ Fox concluded.
