play in the WHL. Hopefully I’ ll work hard enough to get drafted to a pro team.
“ I’ ve always loved hockey, but I have been through some tough moments in my game: Mostly getting cut from a team or having a couple of bad games.
After a great year in AAA Bantam with Central Plains I had a really negative experience during midget tryouts in the fall. Before tryouts even began, I was contemplating taking a year off to focus on training. The way tryouts unfolded made my decision an easy one and actually made me want to work even harder.
“( Goaltending trainer) Eli Wilson had already been in touch with me before tryouts which also made it an easy decision. I have an amazing team of coaches that I work with and I think I have made huge progress over the winter. I know for sure that I wouldn’ t be where I am today if I played my first year in midget.”
Brycen, meanwhile, just loves playing the game and watching his brothers play. It was especially exciting for Brycen to have his older brother Cole coach his Novice team this season.
“ I’ m pretty happy with hockey,” said Brycen, who is in Grade 2 at Linden Christian School.“ Our team didn’ t do so well this year, but I still got two hat tricks and Declan got none so I think I’ m doing pretty good. I like watching my big brothers play. Sometimes they body check me too hard and they don’ t play fair, but they teach me lots of stuff too. It was really cool to have Cole coaching my team this year.
“ My parents are the most important people to me in hockey. I can’ t drive so I need my mom and dad to take me to hockey so I guess they are pretty important. I don’ t take things too seriously so hockey is always fun to me, even when it’ s bad. And I’ m doing pretty good in school. I only went to the principal’ s office two times so far.”
For Tim and Michelle Muys’ kids, hockey is simply a big part of what could be described as very normal lives. Declan is a big fan of comedy movies and is“ a huge country music fan.” Cole likes the TV shows White Collar and Suits, loves rock music and if hockey doesn’ t work out, would like to get into crime prevention. Brycen likes Marvel Movies, Star Wars and dance music;“ Especially at the Jets games when I’ m on the big screen.” If he doesn’ t become a hockey player, he wants to be a Video Game Tester.
“ It’ s a lot of fun having brothers in the game,” said Cole, a Grade 10 student at St. Paul’ s.“ This year I had the opportunity to help coach my little brother’ s novice team. I’ ve always enjoyed being able to watch my older brother play at a higher level. He’ s always inspired me and challenged me to work towards my goals.
“ My parents have always kept hockey fun for me. My dad has always known where the best camps have been and they’ ve never spared any expense or time to help me go further.”
Declan agreed. Without his mom and dad, there might not be any hockey at all.
“ My parents have been especially supportive,” he said.“ Besides paying for everything, they always challenge me to be the best I can be and they’ ve always kept hockey fun for me.”
For Tim and Michelle, it’ s a challenging, but often rewarding pursuit. It has not come easy for anyone in the family, but nothing worth doing is.“ I am the quintessential hockey mom,” said Michelle.“ I drive a big 4x4 truck for long winter drives with lots of room for hockey bags and extra players who need a ride.” Tim, who played hockey for a short time as a young boy and but ended up being the captain of his high school basketball and volleyball teams, got back into the game when Declan and Cole started playing. Despite the long hours, the setbacks and the hectic schedule, hockey is as much fun for Tim as it is for the kids.“ I look forward to Sunday nights when I play with both my older boys,” he said with a laugh.“ We’ re all very competitive and it’ s a real treat to check Declan into the boards and score on Cole once in a while. I can’ t let them think I can’ t keep up.”
For Tim, Michelle, Declan, Cole and Brycen Muys, hockey is definitely a family affair. n
COLE WORKS OUT WITH ANDY KOLLAR AT THE MTS ICEPLEX ICELAB
2017 PLAYOFF EDITION GAME ON 75