This summer may have only just begun, but it has already heralded a lifetime of change for an Alameda hockey player.
Cole Brooks, 15, was drafted in the sixth round, 130th overall, by the Western Hockey League’s Kelowna Rockets in the WHL bantam draft on May 5. The left-shot defenceman, who suited up for 37 regular and postseason games with the Estevan TS&M bantam AA Bruins this past season, noted the selection came as a bit of a surprise.
“I didn’t think I was going to get drafted,” said Cole. “I found out from a couple of my buddies. They sent me a text saying that I was drafted and I didn’t really believe them at first. I went and looked on twitter and, yeah, I'd seen it.”
Cole, who plays a physical style of game and isn’t afraid to join in on the rush when an offensive chance appears, said the Rockets have not contacted him directly since the selection, but they have spoken to his father Kirk. He said they let his dad know they first found out about him at the Saskatchewan Hockey Association SaskFirst bantam zone tournament at Regina’s Cooperators Centre in mid-April and were impressed with his game.
In an effort to make sure the WHL franchise stays interested, Cole said he’ll be hitting the gym hard in an effort to add more mass to his 5-foot-11 and 154-pound frame as well as put in a bit of work on both sides of his game by working with Deanna Wells at Redvers’ W. W. Fitness to get in some skating over the summer months. He said the hope is this work will help him improve on the three goals and 11 points he scored last season with the Bruins.
However, another winter in Estevan may not be in the cards. Cole was one of 35 players out of 85 hopefuls who attended the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League’s Moose Jaw Generals spring camp at Mosaic Place in early April to be invited back for their Aug. 12-14 main camp.
He said the goal is to make the Generals out of that camp and relocate to Moose Jaw this fall. Another team that Cole may be suiting up for at some point this winter is the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Nipawin Hawks, which to the defenceman’s surprise selected him in the third round, 33rd overall, in the SJHL bantam draft on June 2.
“This has really opened up my eyes seeing that I can go somewhere and that my world is changing quite a bit,” said Cole. “I’m going to have to leave home when I’m 15.”
