While he doesn’t call Bonnyville home anymore, Olen Zellweger still believes his time playing here had a factor in him making the Team Alberta U16 hockey team.
“The coaches in Bonnyville, when I was younger playing there, they really helped me,” he said.
The roster for the team heading to 2019 Canada Winter Games, which are taking place Feb. 15 to March 3 in Red Deer, was announced last week, and seeing his name ended a 10-month tryout process for Zellweger.
“I’m pretty excited, and am honoured to have a chance to represent Alberta,” Zellweger expressed.
While he was happy to hear he was headed to the games, the idea of competing is a little daunting for him.
“There’s a lot of competition. Our team is really good, so there’s probably a lot of pressure to bring home a gold medal,” he noted.
Alongside his family, Zellweger counted down the minutes until the names were released.
“It was really nerve-wracking waiting for them to post the list online,” recalled his mom, Kathleen. “It was a long process, and it really gave Olen a good perspective on how long it takes to make and how decisions are made in the process.”
She added, “We’re pretty proud, and excited for the Canada Winter Games. I’m looking forward to watching him on that kind of stage, it’s going to be pretty special.”
After spending about 10-years in Bonnyville, Zellweger and his family moved to Fort Saskatchewan.
“(The move) worked out. There’s different hockey levels here for Olen,” Kathleen noted.
This past summer, he signed with the Everett Silvertips, a Jr. A team in the Western Hockey League (WHL).
Zellweger has been involved in the sport for around 11 years, and got into it thanks to his older brothers.
“I used to watch them when I was younger, and just wanted to be like them playing hockey,” he recalled.
He hopes playing at the games will help further his career.
“I think it’s going to be pretty awesome experience, and I think there’s quite a bit of exposure with (the right) people watching. It will be good,” he detailed.
Ahead of the games, Zellweger plans to stay focused.
“I’m just working hard with the team right now. Our team Alberta has a few practices leading up to the Canada Winter Games, so that will really help us out.”
