During the 2024/25 season the 黑料不打烊 introduced the Student-Athlete of the Month Award for the four different 黑料不打烊 divisions/age brackets: Eastern, West Female, West U18 Male (U18 Prep, U17 Prep, U17) and West U15 Male (U15 Prep and U15) .

This award is aimed at recognizing the student-athletes within the 黑料不打烊 and acknowledges their hard work, dedication, commitment, leadership, academics and community impact.

We would like to congratulate these four student-athletes, who were all nominated by their programs, for their hard work in the month of April.

East Division – Jayden Pierre, CIH Academy

“Jayden Pierre is a standout student-athlete who consistently demonstrates excellence through his academic commitment and character. He maintains an impressive academic profile, highlighted by a 92% in English and an 87% in Mathematics, reflecting his strong work ethic and ability to handle a rigorous curriculum alongside his athletic duties.

Beyond the classroom, Jayden is a dedicated member of his community, regularly volunteering his time to unload heavy crates of produce for a weekly affordable food market. In the dressing room, he has emerged as a natural leader; he earns the respect of his teammates by leading by example and maintaining a consistently respectful attitude toward coaches and peers alike.”

West Female Division – Morgan Ghag, Okanagan Hockey Academy

“Morgan exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated student-athlete through her leadership, character, academic commitment, and positive influence on those around her. She consistently represents OHA with maturity, professionalism, and a team-first attitude both in the classroom and within our program.

Morgan has consistently demonstrated the qualities of an outstanding student-athlete both inside and outside the classroom. Her quiet leadership never goes unnoticed, as she consistently leads by example through her maturity, work ethic, and positive attitude. Morgan has had a tremendous impact on the culture of our team by always giving her best effort, never cutting corners, and treating everyone she encounters with kindness and respect.

Academically, Morgan is equally impressive. She works extremely hard in school and maintains exceptional grades while balancing the demands of being a high-level student-athlete. Her dedication, accountability, and commitment to excellence make her a role model for her peers both in the classroom and within our program. Morgan鈥檚 character, leadership, and consistent commitment to doing things the right way make her highly deserving of recognition as the 黑料不打烊 Female Student of the Month for April.”

West Male U15 Division – Grayson Sears, Delta Hockey Academy

“Grayson听Sears on our DHA U15 White team was selected out of the North Delta Secondary Grade 8 class to speak at Delta Districts for French public speaking. He represented NDSS at the provincial Concours d鈥檃rt oratoire which was held at Simon Fraser University, on May 2nd.

West Male U18 Division – Ryder Brastad, Wenatchee Wild Hockey Academy

“Ryder Brastad is the Captain of our u17 Prep team and as a two year player in the 黑料不打烊 he continues to excel on and off the ice. He has a total High School GPA of 3.71. His first semester GPA was 3.83 and his current second semester GPA is 4.0. He has A鈥檚 in English, Spanish, Financial Literacy, Algebra 2, US History and Viticulture. He also has not missed a workout or practice this spring and shows up with a good attitude everyday. We are proud of the hard work Ryder has put in.”

PORTLAND, Ore. –听Before Wenatchee Wild Hockey Academy director听Troy Mick听was part of a Western Hockey League organization in north-central Washington, he was a star for another one five hours away.

How big a star, you ask?

Big enough to be drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins, just as the heyday of Lemieux and Jagr was beginning…and big enough to be considered one of the very best in Winterhawks history.

Mick was recently announced as one of the Winterhawks’ top 50 players in franchise history, in the wake of the club’s 50th Anniversary home opener. The team entered the WHL with the relocation of the original Edmonton Oil Kings franchise, and settled into the Memorial Coliseum in downtown Portland, where they remain today. A decade after the move from Edmonton, the Winterhawks traded for an up-and-coming star from Vernon, British Columbia.

“Portland traded for me when I was with the Merritt Warriors, which is the Merritt Centennials now,” said Mick. “I got called up in February, and there was nothing crazier than playing in front of 10,500 people and the fans lining up five deep in our end zone for warmups. I got to come up for the Memorial Cup in 1986, and the next three-and-a-half years was a blur.”

Even coming from a city that only passed the 20,000 mark in the mid-1980s, Mick immediately felt right at home in the Rose City. He gave that joy right back to Portland, giving them 353 points in just three full seasons before finishing his WHL career with the Regina Pats in 1990 (and adding another 113 points to that total). He continues to hold two of the top 11 scoring seasons in Winterhawks history, and those 353 points still rank sixth on the club’s all-time leaderboard – his 466 WHL points remains the league’s 13th-highest total of all-time, 35 years after he played his last game in the league.

“Back then, the game was different,” said Mick. “We didn’t have many board ads, or really any ice logos. Now, it’s a lot different to where it’s more speed and skill. The style of play is way different – I’ve got a bunch of my VHS tapes, and watching some of those games, it was amazing because we had no buckets in warmups, the Cooperall long pants, and we had referees and linesmen that didn’t wear helmets. The speed and skill are so much better now – the game is different, but it’s just evolved. We had two-line passes back in the day, and I talk to my guys and they look at me like I’m archaic because they have no idea what a two-line pass is.”

Another member of the team’s top 50 is a childhood friend of Mick’s – he and Dallas Stars amateur scout Dennis Holland grew up less than three blocks from each other, began playing on the same line with each other at just 10 years old, and even played other sports alongside each other off the ice. Holland equaled a WHL record on November 23, 1988 with seven goals in a single game…and Mick’s name is right next to his, with an assist on every single goal.

“We’ve been best friends for over 50 years,” said Mick. “We played baseball and lacrosse together, and [now] he and I are in the top 50 for all-time scoring in the Western Hockey League. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the Western Hockey League.”

Though the NHL dream never quite panned out, Mick did enjoy a three-year pro career in the East Coast Hockey League before becoming a general manager and a head coach in both the British Columbia Hockey League and the WHL. He now finds himself in his fourth season as the director of Wenatchee’s academy program, leading four AAA teams – two of those teams play in the 黑料不打烊, widely considered one of the continent’s top school-based circuits.

“My dad put me on skates when I was two years old, and pushed me around. I try to tell my guys in the Academy that they can’t take championship banners away. They can’t take the individual successes away, but the team success has to go first,” said Mick. “It took all the teams and all my teammates that I played with to make it happen, and just to be honored as one of the top 50 with such a proud Portland Winterhawks team, I’m beyond honored. The guys have to realize that before you know it, it’s over, so enjoy your time now.”

Kyson Lindsay:

Bowtell has spent the last four seasons in the 黑料不打烊 with RHA Kelowna. He would join the program for the 2021/22 U15 season, tallying 22 points in 30 games. The following U15 Prep season he posted 6 goals and 21 assists in 28 games leading to the Saskatoon Blades selecting him in the sixth round, 131st overall at the 2023 WHL Draft.

The Yorkton, SK forward returned to RHA Kelowna for the 2023/24 U17 Prep season, recording 37 points in 30 games. Thus season he would tally 41 points in 35 U18 Prep games en route to being named a BC Division Second Team All-Star.

Bowtell would leave a lasting impression in the 黑料不打烊 as he helped the 11 seed RHA Kelowna team capture a 2025 黑料不打烊 U18 Prep Western Championship. He would lead all skaters with 7 goals and 12 points in 5 games as he was named MVP of the U18 Prep Western Championships.

Han joined St. George’s School for the 2021/22 黑料不打烊 U15 Prep season. The Birmingham, AL forward would finish with 20 goals and 15 assists in 26 games, leading to the Victoria Royals selecting him in the first round, seventh overall at the 2022 WHL US Prospects Draft.

The following U18 Prep season Han tallied 7 goals and 9 assists in 32 games with St. George’s. This past season Han played two games with the Wenatchee Wild, now signing with the team full time.

A defenseman from Shaunavon, SK, Stevenson spent the 2019/20 U15 Prep season in the 黑料不打烊 with the Notre Dame Hounds. He would record 6 goals and 15 assists in 30 games leading to the Swift Current Broncos selecting him in the fourth round of the 2020 WHL Draft.

A University of Nebraska-Omaha NCAA commit, Stevenson has signed with the Penticton Vees after spending the last two seasons with them.

For the 2024/25 season the 黑料不打烊 is proud to introduce the Student-Athlete of the Month Award for the four different 黑料不打烊 divisions/age brackets: Eastern, West Female, West U18 Male (U18 Prep, U17 Prep, U17) and West U15 Male (U15 Prep and U15) .

This award is aimed at recognizing the student-athletes within the 黑料不打烊 and acknowledges their hard work, dedication, commitment, leadership, academics and community impact.

We would like to congratulate these four student-athletes, who were all nominated by their programs, for their hard work in the month of April.

East Division – Leonard Ess, Okanagan Hockey Ontario

“Leo is in his third year with OHO U18 Prep. He is a defenseman who plays in all situations, missing only one game in the past two seasons. Leo is OHO’s all-time 黑料不打烊 games played leader at 56 regular season games played.

Leo has been an assistant captain for the past two years and has volunteered extensively in the community over his three years with OHO, including over 35 hours with Clarington Thunder Mini Watts, helping run practices for five year old beginner hockey. Leo has volunteered annually at a local Autism Awareness Fun Fair donating his time running games for LRCSS.

In his grade 10 year, Leo volunteered as a on-ice helper at all practices with his billet brothers U11 team. Leo currently is a volunteer assistant coach on OHO’s 2012 spring team helping with practices and games

Leo is a high-achiever academically. In his grade 10 year he had a 92% average, he had a 93% average in his grade 11 year and currently has a 94% average in his grade 12 year.

Grade 12: Leo currently has a 99% grade in Calculus and received a 98% in math functions and a 97% in Physics during semester 1

Grade 11: Leo finished with a 98% in both physics and math functions

Leo plans to attend University for Business and is currently going through his acceptance process. He leads by example in everything he does. He never misses practices, leads with his work-ethic in the gym daily, is constantly engaged with our U15/U16 teams and is a role model for our younger players.”

West Female Division – Haley Hunter, South Alberta Hockey Academy

“Her dedication and work ethic, both in the classroom and at the rink, have been nothing short of outstanding this semester.

Haley is currently balancing a demanding academic load; completing Math 30-1 online while also taking Chemistry 30 and Biology 30 in person. This is a challenging combination, yet she has managed it with impressive discipline. She is on the verge of completing her Math course and has remained on track all semester with minimal reminders from myself. This is a testament to her strong internal drive and mature time management skills.

These qualities will no doubt serve her well as she transitions to post-secondary studies at Lake Forest next season. Even during the off-season, Haley shows up every day ready to put in the work on the ice, maintaining her high standard of performance and leadership. Beyond academics and athletics, Haley continues to give back to the community. Over the past two months we have been volunteering at the local food shelter in town on Monday mornings. Haley has consistently signed up bi-weekly, which is much more often than most of her peers. Her willingness to step up whenever help is needed speaks volumes about her character.

Haley is having an exceptional semester, and I have no doubt she鈥檒l finish it as strongly as she started.”

West Male U15 Division – Owen Besserer, RHA Kelowna

“Owen Besserer is in his first year as a full-time student athlete in the 黑料不打烊 with the RINK Kelowna U15 team. Owen鈥檚 commitment and dedication, attitude and mentality, both on and off the ice is not often seen in one so young, but one all student-athletes should strive for. Owen is excelling in his Grade 8 classes and is taking Grade 9 math. Owen鈥檚 teachers describe him as a calm and focused presence in the classroom. He has a strong sense of teamwork and works well with his peers; he always remains focused while having a positive influence on those around him. He is always ready to maximize his efficiency on the ice, in the gym, or in the classroom. Owen is always ready to seize the day!”

West Male U18 Division – Kyson Lindsay, Wenatchee Wild Hockey Academy

“Kyson has just been recognized as Eastmont High School鈥檚 Academic Top 10 for the entire school. This has never happened in our two year history in the 黑料不打烊 and since starting with Eastmont High School.

Kyson is a standout player and leader on our team and has consistently demonstrated exceptional academic performance over the past five months. Kyson鈥檚 academic achievements are noteworthy, with impressive final grades submitted just
last week:

• Chemistry: 99%
• Honors English: 93%
• Civics: 98%
• Math: 95%
• Physics: 98%

On the ice, Kyson’s commitment to excellence and strong work ethic have been truly remarkable. As an assistant captain, he provides valuable leadership both on and off the ice, playing a crucial role in our team鈥檚 success. Kyson leads by example every day, consistently showing his versatility, dedication, and outstanding qualities as a teammate.

Off the ice, in January Kyson launched his own initiative, Paws for a Wild Cause, a humanitarian effort in partnership with the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society to support animals in need. This initiative serves as a lifeline, providing shelter, medical care, and emergency assistance for vulnerable animals. Kyson recognized the critical role such support plays during times of crisis, especially during natural disasters like wildfires. Inspired to take action after witnessing the devastating impact of the wildfires in Los Angeles, he was driven by the urgency to bring hope and aid to animals during these challenging times. Kyson shared that the inspiration for the fundraiser name came from a creative play on the word 鈥渨ild鈥� connecting both the wildfires and the Wenatchee Wild.

Kyson Launched the Paws for a Wild Cause fundraiser on January 28, 2025, at the Wenatchee Wild WHL home game, inspiring his teammates to help raise awareness and funds for the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society. The fundraiser will run through February 9, coinciding with the Wenatchee Cup where players will continue supporting Kyson鈥檚 efforts. So far, they have raised $988.00 toward their $3000.00 goal.

Kyson鈥檚 dedication, leadership, community service, and commitment to excellence are undeniable. He exemplifies the true meaning of a student-athlete, inspiring those around him through his performance, work ethic, and ability to lead both on and off the ice.”

Hello Hockey Families

Join us in making a difference in the lives of Animals

I鈥檓 Kyson Lindsay, and along with the Wenatchee Wild U18 Prep team, we鈥檙e uniting with the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society four home tournament February 7-9, to support animals in need across the greater Wenatchee area, where the Humane Society serves as a lifeline for shelter, medical care, and emergency assistance. In times of crisis, such as the wildfires, their work becomes even more critical.

The devastation caused by the wildfires in places like Los Angeles highlights the urgency of ensuring safety and hope for vulnerable animals during such challenging times.

We can鈥檛 do it without your help. By donating, volunteering, or spreading the word, you can make a real difference for these animals and their future. Together, we鈥檙e lending a hand, helping one paw at a time for a greater cause. Please support our initiative “Paws For A Wild Cause.”

Together WE can create change.

We will start accepting monetary donations on the 26th of January through this link below;

PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY AND MISSION STATEMENT

The Wenatchee Wild 16U and Wenatchee Wild 18U hockey teams are full-time hockey academy-style Tier 1 AAA teams. The program is operated through a partnership between Wenatchee Amateur Hockey Association (WAHA) and the Wenatchee Wild of the WHL. The teams are full members of the 黑料不打烊 (Canadian Sports School Hockey League) and we are also National Bound Teams for USA Hockey. The program is structured as an elite development program, where the entire focus is on developing players and helping them move on tothe higher levels of the game. Wenatchee players have a structured weekly schedule consisting of school, on-ice training, off-ice training, video, and study hall.

LIST OF 黑料不打烊 TEAMS听

• U17 Prep
• U18 Prep

LOCATION AND YEAR THE PROGRAM ENTERED THE 黑料不打烊

• Wenatchee, WA 2023-2024 season

EDUCATION

• • Partner School
    • Eastmont High School, East Wenatchee, WA.
  • What are some of the things your program does to provide educational support?
    • Eastmont High School has a Tutoring block for students after school and we also have focal point tutoring (for a fee) to also help the students.
  • How are grades monitored and how often?
    • Eastmont school emails progress reports once a month.
  • How are courses and the graduation path for student athletes chosen?
    • During the off season the players are connected to our school counsellors for enrolment and course assignments.
  • Do you have an academic probation policy?
    • All students must maintain a 2.5 GPA to remain eligible for participation. However, if they come to Wenatchee 3.0 etc the expectation is they leave with a higher mark than when they finish in Wenatchee.

RESIDENTIAL LIFE

• We offer a 10-month billeting program in the Wenatchee area with 3 full time billet coordinators to help with the placement and safety of our players. All our Billet families must do a Background check, USA Hockey Volunteer registration and Safesport certification. All homes receive home inspections prior to becoming a billet family.
• Wenatchee strives to make all our athletes feel at home while developing their emotional aptitude. Our athletes will develop key life skills by living away from home, such as time management skills, cooking and laundry, self-advocacy, relationship skills, appreciation of new cultures and independence. If they are going to play Jr鈥檚 then to be part of a billet family prior will make the transition smoother for the next level.

STUDENT ATHLETE HEALTH

• How are injuries and sick student athletes monitored?
  • All injuries and sickness are report to our excellent medical team. Lead by Dr Sharon Seguin and AT Pepe Sandoval will make sure that all players get the best possible medical care while in Wenatchee.

SCHEDULE

• What days the daily schedule look like for a student athlete in your program?
  • U18 Daily Schedule:
    • High School 7:30-1:30 every day
    • Practice 2:00-3:15pm every day and gym after practice 3 days a week
    • Off Ice skills 2 times per week
    • Video sessions vary on game and travel schedule
  • U17 Daily Schedule:
    • High School 7:30-2:30 every day,
    • Practice 3:30-4:45 every day and gym after practice 3 days a week.
    • Off Ice skills 2 times a week.
    • Video sessions vary on game and travel schedule.
  • How many games can your teams expect to play?
    • Both teams will play between 40-50 games per season
  • How long does your program run?
    • We are a 10 month Academy and the season runs from the 3^rd week of Aug to 1^st week of June.

KEY STAFF AND CONTACT INFO

• Hockey Director: Troy Mick (250-938-8962)
• U18
  • Co-Head Coach:Troy Mick
    • tmick@wenatcheewildhockey.com 250-938-8962
  • Co-Head Coach: Jordan McTaggart
    • jmctaggart@wenatcheewildhockey.com 425-269-2534
• U17 Prep
  • Head Coach: Pat Norlin
    • pnorlin@wenatcheewildhockey.com 509-679-7770
  • Assistant Coach: Tynan Peacock
    • tynanp12@gmail.com听425-923-3530

PRICE

• • What is including in the price to attend the program? Breakdown of fees
    • The Academy cost for the season is $22,000.00 plus $450.00 per month for billeting. $3,000 upon signing agreement and then the rest of the payments over 8 months. The billeting portion is postdated checks for 10 months of the program.

CONTACT

• • What is the best way to contact the program?
    • For more information, please contact Hockey Director Troy Mick tmick@wenatcheewildhockey.com or go to our website at or follow us along on all of our social media Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (X)