Young hockey player a finalist in essay competition

The Ontario Minor Hockey Association recently announced the grand prize winner and finalists of its 'I Love Hockey' essay contest, and an Uxbridge youth was one of those finalists.

Logan Taillon, submitted by Caitlin Christoff Taillon

Logan Taillon, representing North Durham, wrote about why he loves hockey - here is is essay (reprinted with permission from his parents.)

“I love hockey because it’s so much fun! This year, I get to play for the North Durham Warriors, and it’s amazing. I’ve been dreaming about playing for the Warriors since I was in U5, and now I finally get to wear my own black and white jerseys.

Hockey is my favourite because I get to play with my friends. We play together as a team, and we cheer for each other when we make good plays. Playing on the ice is awesome I try to get better at skating, passing, and shooting. Plus, it’s so fast, and I like chasing the puck and trying to score!

I love when I skate down the ice really fast and hearing my teammates yell for the puck. Scoring a goal is so exciting, but I also love passing to my friends and seeing them score too. It’s all about having fun together.

I’ve learned how to be a good teammate, try my hardest, and have fun no matter what happens. I love hockey because it makes me happy every single time I play.”

The contest, which is in its 11th year, was, according to the OMHA’s website, originally designed to “engage players in an educational manner while encouraging them to express their thoughts on what life skills they learn from playing hockey.” Nearly 200 essays were submitted to the Ontario Minor Hockey Association, in partnership with Respect in Sport. Elgin Ackroyd of Guelph Minor Hockey Association won the grand prize.

Photo of Logan Taillon submitted by Caitlin Christoff Taillon