A former Sundre resident and alumnus of the local minor hockey association is one step closer to achieving his goal of competing in the NHL.
The Tampa Bay Lightning recently drafted Quinn Schmiemann, who this year finished his first season playing in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Kamloops Blazers.
“I’ve still got a lot of work to do,” Schmiemann said during a phone interview.
“Getting drafted doesn’t mean you’re going to play there,” said the 17-year-old defenceman, adding, “They need to offer you a contract.”
Schmiemann learned he had been drafted during his recent graduation ceremony from Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, in Saskatchewan, just south of Regina, when his mom flashed him a thumbs-up from the stands while he was on stage with classmates.
“It was a pretty anxious half hour!”
Developing a fond affinity for Canada’s national sport at an early age of three or four, Schmiemann said his first memories of hockey were of spending time with his dad playing shinny on an outdoor rink in their backyard on a rural property west of town in Clearwater County.
Before long, he started playing minor hockey in Sundre, which following an early championship win only further solidified his desire to play full-time.
“Even when he was a young player with us, Quinn showed determination, dedication and class; and will be forever remembered around here for the killer shot from the blue line, in atom!” reads a post shared on social media by the Sundre Minor Hockey Association.
He in large part attributes his success to date to the association, which he played with for about three years.
“It was pretty important for me,” he said.
Being in a small community with a fairly limited numbers of players — at one point on a team with only 12 others — offered him an opportunity to play extensively and by extension develop his skills.
“It was at a young age that I got better because I was playing so much. I got a lot of ice time; it was crucial for my development.”
Schmiemann said there was no specific singular instance that convinced him to push for a career, and that his path was a steady progression of steps that led him down this road.
“I was always pretty good at it,” he said, adding, “I put a lot of time and effort into it. It was always kind of a ‘go big, or go home’ situation.”
As with any endeavour in life, he said what a person gets out of it depends on what they put into it. He added that an enthusiastic circle of unwavering and committed support also played a critical role in helping him to reach this point. He expressed gratitude to all of the people around him who invested so much of their own time and energy to grant him every possible opportunity to succeed.
Schmiemann said the thrill of rising to the top of a competition as champion and also the friendships forged along the way further fuelled his passion to play.
“You often hear people play for the money,” he said.
“But one of the main reasons is getting to know people and the love of the game.”
From coaches to colleagues, Schmiemann said bonds are inevitably built as a result of practising together on a nearly daily basis.
“They’re not just your teammates — they become your friends and a part of your life,” he said, adding, “You also take away a lot of life experience. It’s not just a game.”
Playing hockey with Athol Murray College of Notre Dame before joining Kamloops this past season, Schmiemann said the Blazers managed to clinch a playoff spot, but were unable to make it through the quarter-finals.
Now graduated from high school with the summer break ahead, he plans to continue playing for Kamloops for the time being and anticipates spending time training throughout the coming months in preparation for next season.
Born in Red Deer, he was raised in Sundre for a period until he moved away in Grade 7 to Wilcox, Sask., where he currently resides. Schmiemann said what he most misses about Sundre is going to the arena when he was little.
“That was always a good time for me, was going to the rink and playing hockey,” he said, extending his appreciation to the community not only for providing an opportunity to play, but also for “being good to my family and me.”
