Dan Falloon
Johnathan Carpenter is looking to strike as a Stingray.
The 15-year-old, originally from Lac Seul First Nation near Sioux Lookout, was named to the Ontario Stingrays ‘AAA’ hockey team, an all-aboriginal squad.
The Stingrays are set to compete in six tournaments this summer, beginning with the “Summer Sizzler” in Monroe, Mich. on May 21-23.
The team also is slated to attend tournaments in Buffalo, Toronto, Niagara Falls, and Brossard, Que. from June through August.
The Fort High student was honoured to make the team, not just for recognition of his hockey skills but for the chance to make an impression on aboriginal youth.
“I want to get known from native reserves that I’m a role model,” Carpenter stressed.
He admitted the tryouts were difficult as he didn’t know any of his teammates at the time, but quickly developed a rapport with the players as he got to know them.
“It was hard because I was . . . meeting new people and making new friends,” he noted.
Carpenter described himself as a hard-nosed defenceman who’s not afraid to jump into the rush when necessary.
“I’m an aggressive player, a play-maker, and a kid that likes to get into the play and hit a lot,” he enthused.
Carpenter joined the team in Baltimore, Ont. on April 9-11 for a training camp before seeing tournament action in May.
Stingrays coach Josh White noted that Carpenter is a cool character, staying calm under pressure despite being one of the smaller players on the team.
“He doesn’t panic when he has the puck,” lauded White. “He can quarterback the play and move it up real nicely. He has the speed and it’s hard to find defencemen with a lot speed.
“You get a lot of kids back in that area and you put pressure along them along the boards and they tend to panic and give the puck away. But he’s not like that. He looks around and moves with it and tries to open it up.”
White also pointed out that Carpenter should be a versatile player for the Stingrays.
“He can stay at home, he can get up into the rush, because he has a lot of speed,” complimented White. “He’s basically an all-around good defenceman.”
Carpenter also saw action with the Fort Ginoogaming Winterhawks near Sudbury, and suited up for his home reserve, Lac Seul First Nation, at a tournament in Sioux Lookout this season.
Carpenter, who has been playing hockey since the age of three, hopes he is able to catch the attention of OHL scouts through his play with the Stingrays.
“[I want] to play in the big leagues, to make it in a higher level,” he enthused.
Carpenter’s mother, Tabatha Jourdain of Couchiching First Nation, estimated the cost of her son playing with the Stingrays will run about $10,000 for the summer, and is looking to offset some of that expense.
Those looking to donate, or for more information, can contact Jourdain at 274-3458.
