TC Media photo
Jalen Gillard of the Western Kings in action during a game against the Tri-Pen Osprey in provincial major midget hockey league play during the 2015-16 season.
Gillard, an 18-year old Deer Lake native and the leading scorer for the Kings last season with 48 points in 29 regular season games and 11 points in 12 playoff games, didn’t want to play hockey after he graduated from Elwood High in June because he just wants to work his job at Deer Lake Airport and also see what else life has to offer.
He has seen some of his former teammates continue on their way with their hockey exploits after high school, but he doesn’t have the same passion he once had for the game, so he put his hockey gear away.
“I decided to quit. I just got sick of it,” Gillard said Tuesday.
He admits he had fun playing the game and learned a thing or two about life by playing hockey, but he figured it was time to explore life without having to go to the rink several times a week.
“There’s more to life than hockey, I says,” he said.
