亚洲天堂

A pair of 13-year-old defenceman named Josiah Lacerte and Linden Hart from 亚洲天堂 Lake have made the jump to Bantam AA and are now playing for the North Central Bobcats, a team based in Prince George.

The Bobcats are a billet team, meaning that instead of commuting back and forth, the players spend the school year in Prince George living with billet families. Lacerte and Hart are both attending Prince George Secondary School during the season, which is where the team recommends its players to go.

Lakes District 亚洲天堂 spoke to both players about the accomplishment, and neither one was surprised about making the team. 鈥淚 was happy, and definitely thankful,鈥� said Linden. I wasn鈥檛 surprised though. I鈥檝e put in the work to get to this point so it was just about trusting that process.鈥�

鈥淚 was pretty confident that I was going to make the team,鈥� Said Josiah. 鈥淚 was very proud of myself, but a bit sad that I was going to be moving away but you have to make sacrifices sometimes to achieve your goals.鈥�

The move away from home has been an adjustment for both young men, but having each other there through the process has been a saving grace. 鈥淚鈥檝e grown up playing with Josiah my entire life, and it鈥檚 cool that were doing this together. The living situation was hard at first, but you get used to it pretty fast. A few weeks with living my billet family and they鈥檙e already like a second family to me,鈥� said Linden.

According to Philippe Lacerte, Josiah鈥檚 father, there is plenty to be proud of about the boy鈥檚 accomplishment from a parental side as well. 鈥淭here were around 120 kids that tried out for the team, and several cuts during the tryout process. The fact that they made the team at such a young age, my wife and I couldn鈥檛 be prouder of our son.鈥�

Lakes District 亚洲天堂 also spoke to Linden鈥檚 father Wes Hart, who expressed similar enthusiasm about the accomplishment. 鈥淚 think in both cases they took it seriously, wanted to improve and wanted to make it to the next level and they incorporated that mindset in everything they did for the last few years. Now they鈥檙e seeing the work pay off. It鈥檚 satisfying for them and I鈥檓 proud that their seeing that work come to fruition,鈥� said Wes.

鈥淚鈥檓 glad they鈥檙e able to experience this together as well. They both went to William Konkin Elementary together, they played minor hockey here in 亚洲天堂 Lake, they played rep together. The fact that they鈥檙e both only 13 years old in a new place going to a new high school, at least they have each other as a familiar face, so it鈥檚 reassuring as a parent.鈥�

Hart, who coached the boys in both the 亚洲天堂 Lake Minor Hockey program, as well as on the Northwest District U13 rep team, says that he鈥檚 having problems going to games as a fan instead of a coach.

READ MORE: 亚洲天堂 Lake minor league hockey season around the corner

I haven鈥檛 gotten kicked out for screaming yet, so that鈥檚 good,鈥� he joked. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely different, I do enjoy being able to just focus on your kid playing, when your a coach your always pulled in different directions. It is challenging though, especially since it鈥檚 your kid, you just have to keep your mouth shut and talk to him after the game. The biggest thing is that all the staff the Bobcats have is second to none so I know he鈥檚 in great hands.鈥�

The Bobcats haven鈥檛 gotten out to a great start so far this season, starting the year with an 0-3-1 record, but Wes expects that to change going forward. 鈥淭hey haven鈥檛 gotten the results they鈥檝e wanted yet, but it鈥檚 a young team, there鈥檚 a lot of 13-year-olds on the squad, it takes time to develop. A lot of the kids haven鈥檛 really played competitively in years because of COVID-19 as well.鈥�

Despite the slow start, neither player is concerned about the season outlook.

鈥淲e鈥檝e had a bit of a rocky start in the first few games but I still think were a solid group. Practices have been positive, and we鈥檙e looking forward to notching a lot more wins,鈥� said Linden.

鈥淭he pace of the game is a lot quicker then peewee hockey, and with the added physical element you really have to keep your head up on the ice,鈥� said Josiah. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have a lot of chemistry early on, but I think were going to make a run in the playoffs, we have a lot of talent and were getting better every day.鈥�