Trayden Guiboche spent two years of his high school days playing with the Dauphin Clippers hockey team.
On the team in grade 11, Trayden helped the team advance to the league semi-finals last year where they came up short against the Swan Valley Tigers. Guiboche was also a member of the team in the previous year when they lost to Major Pratt in the first round.
While his days as a Clipper have now been numbered, Guiboche still cherishes the moments he had as a team member.
"It was great, I became really close friends with guys I wasn't before," said Guiboche. "The bond in the dressing room and outside was unbreakable for everyone on the team. I had two great years with the team."
Back in May, Guiboche was given the chance to play on the national stage at Seven Oaks Arena in Winnipeg as a member of Team Nunavut for the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships. It was an event that didn't go as planned for the team, but it was still a week to remember for Guiboche, who is now set to play at the next level.
"It was an unbelievable opportunity that not many get," offered Guiboche. "I had the chance to meet some great guys and stay in contact with them. I had a great time and I am very grateful that I had the chance."
Back in the Parkland now and with the hockey season underway at many levels, Guiboche is playing with a team that has hit the ice in game action. Already home to the Waywayseecappo Wolverines of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, there is now a new junior team playing at the Arena Complex which is 1 hour and 49 minutes away from Dauphin.
The Waywayseecappo Wild is the newest member of the Keystone Junior Hockey League which now features seven teams from First Nation communities across the province. They opened their inaugural regular season over the weekend and it was a tough one as they gave up 17 goals in two defeats against the OCN Storm, a team that has become a perennial powerhouse over the years.
Guiboche had one goal as the team now prepares to play a pair of home games this weekend against the NCN Flames. For quite some time, Trayden was unsure where he would play after his time with the Clippers but now, he's on a team that is looking for their first win in franchise history.
NCN opened their season with a 1-0 shutout win against the PBCN Selects before giving up nine goals in a two-goal defeat the next night.
"There's a lot of new faces on this team and I'm also familiar with some," said Guiboche. "It's been a solid experience so far and we will continue to get better as the season rolls on. I plan to push myself even more this year to give myself a chance to succeed."
Guiboche also recently had the opportunity to play with the U18 Manitoba men's softball team at the Canada Summer Games which took place earlier this year. Guiboche said that was another dream come true and despite not winning gold, he loved every minute of his time in Prince Edward Island.
