It鈥檚 a long way from where the Letendre brothers started to the roster of the 亚洲天堂 Lake Timbermen, and not just geographically.
The 17-year-old twins Collin and Colton are from the Loon River Cree First Nation at Red Earth, Alberta. That鈥檚 halfway between Fort McMurray and Peace River in northern Alberta 鈥� about 10 hours鈥� drive from 亚洲天堂 Lake.
That鈥檚 not the only gap they鈥檙e facing. Collin is listed at 5-foot-6 and 107 pounds, Colton at 5-foot-7 120 pounds. By contrast, one of their teammates, Jonas Smith, is 6-foot-6, 230 pounds, and four years older. The Letendre boys took part in a Greater Metro Junior-A Hockey League (GMHL) identification camp in Edmonton prior to the season and got spotted by Timbermen administration. The offer to play was exciting, they said, but came with some trepidation.
鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of a big experience playing against guys five years older than me. I didn鈥檛 know if I could handle it, since I鈥檓 so small. It was a big deal for me,鈥� said Collin who wears No. 12.
鈥淎t first I was scared, playing against guys twice my size, twice my body weight,鈥� agreed Colton, who wears No. 13. 鈥淚t was tough for me and my brother, but every day things got better and better. It鈥檚 still tough out there for guys like us but it鈥檚 fun over here. It really is.鈥�
Five games and plenty of practices later, the Letendre twins are feeling more comfortable on the ice, but that was only half the transition. They also left a family, community and province behind.
Oh, I was scared at first, thought I wasn鈥檛 going to like it out here, but this community is nice. Nice people,鈥� said Collin. 鈥淚 get a lot of help at school. Our billets, Wanda and Gary, they are really good people, taking care of me and my brother.鈥�
Colton agreed that initial concerns have been wiped away and gone in reverse.
鈥淚t was tough not knowing people on my team except my brother. I was shy at first. But we kept practicing and got to know each other, and it鈥檚 great. The people are really nice here, the schooling is different, the people are different from there to here, lovely people here. I鈥檓 missing my family every day. It鈥檚 a far travel for them to come watch us play. Wanda and Gary took us into their home and made us like family, looking after us.鈥�
The Letendre family has made the long trip to see the boys play, so they, too, have a sense of the community.
Now the twins can focus on school and hockey, learning both without the added pressure of fear of the unknown. They may not be the tallest trees in the forest, but they are Timbermen.
