Chad Ketting hopes the hard work he puts in now will pay off down the road in the Western Hockey League (WHL) - and maybe one day in the pros.
The goaltender from Halfmoon Bay is playing with the Vancouver Northwest Giants in the B.C. Major Midget League (BCMML). Chad is in his fourth year in the league, which has teams from all regions of B.C. and provides elite 15- to 17-year-old players an opportunity to play close to home, within their own age group at a high level of hockey. The Giants practice Monday to Thursday at Burnaby 8-rinks and Chad travels every day for practice after school and to Burnaby on the weekends for games. It's a big commitment for him and his family, but one they're all willing to make if it means furthering his hockey career.
Chad attended the Swift Current Broncos training camp during the summer and signed a letter of intent with the club. Coaches for the Broncos indicated Chad would have an excellent chance of making the WHL club next season, provided he continued to show improvement in his game. So far it appears Chad is holding up his end of the bargain. The Giants are undefeated in league play with 51 points and a record of 25-0-1. The Giants have the most goals for at 159 and the least goals against at 62, no doubt due to the strong play of Chad and the other goaltenders on the team.
During the Christmas holidays, five teams from B.C., including Chad's team, were awarded berths in the Mac's world invitational major midget tournament in Calgary.
The Giants made it all the way to the final, losing to Russia.
Following the trip to Calgary, Chad flew with his team to Boston for a five-day trip playing exhibition games against the Boston Advantage at Cushing Academy, the Jr. Bruins at Harvard University, then onto the final game against SS Kings at the University of New Hampshire.
This trip was a way to introduce the players to some U.S. universities and give them options to where their career could go.Chad said the trip was amazing and by far the best experience he has had so far in hockey.
"The most impressive of the tripwas playing in the Harvard ice rink with 400 years of historyand later on watching a Harvard hockey game," said Chad. "They have a sell-out crowd every game with the school band playing during intermission along with actual cheerleaders."
Chad's team was also quite successful winning all three games. In the second game against the Jr. Bruins, they won in a shootout, with Chad stopping both shots. Chad also earned two shutouts.
Based on his strong play, Chad caught the eye of the coaching staff from both Harvard and New Hampshire universities. Even though Chad has forfeited an NCAA scholarship by signing with the WHL, he could still be given that opportunity should he choose that route.
