He's only 14-years-old, but he has big plans when it comes to hockey and that's Dauphin's Rylan Gibbs.
The crafty forward is in Winnipeg this weekend as he was invited to Hockey Manitoba's WHL Program of Excellence Combine.
"It was definitely a great feeling to get the email inviting me to take part," said Gibbs. "It was a big exciting moment for me. It took a lot of hard work to get here, so I'm hoping big things come out of this as I move forward."
"It means a lot to be in the top bunch of Bantam players in Manitoba," added Gibbs.
Although hockey is only played a certain amount of time in the year, for Rylan, he dedicates countless hours to the game he loves even if it's not hockey season.
"As soon as the summer started I was working out a lot with Doug Hedley," said Gibbs. "I know you can't take anytime off or else you'll lose your edge. Hockey season is a tough grind, so I had to make sure my body was ready for this."
On top of working out, Rylan also suits up for the Next Level ST Wranglers in the Parkland Source for Sports 4 on 4 Summer Hockey League, that started earlier this season and wraps up early next week.
Playing in the league has given him multiple chances to sharpen his skills as he takes part in the combine this weekend alongside the best Bantam players in the province.
This weekend includes a rather rigorous schedule. Rylan will take part in multiple skill sessions, dryland training, and the weekend will cap off with three games.
"Playing with all these kids will definitely help me," said Rylan. "Whether they're better than me or not, I want to be the best player I can be. It's been a really fun experience so far, and I'm really looking forward to the rest of the weekend."
After playing AA hockey in Dauphin last winter, Rylan will be looking to make the jump up this season.
"I'm going to try out for the Bantam Parkland Rangers this season," said Gibbs. "I'm just hoping I can have a successful season, and we'll see where that takes me."
