Reidville -
Stephen Simms learned some valuable hockey lessons during his junior career, but more importantly he found out a thing or two about himself along the way.
The 21-year-old Reidville native recently wrapped up his junior hockey career as a rearguard with the OCN Blizzard of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
Simms started his journey across the country by signing with the Weyburn Red Wings of the Saskatechewan Junior Hockey League before deciding to check out the United States college hockey scene with a brief stint with Lake Superior State in Michigan.
Realizing college hockey in the United States wasn't for him, he was traded from the Red Wings, who still owned his rights, to the Nanaimo Clippers of the British Columbia Hockey League. In no time, Simms was on the move again, this time traded to the OCN Blizzard where he finished up the journey.
Leaving home at an early age to pursue a dream half way across the country was something the talented defenceman didn't think he had him in when he started his junior hockey career.
"I didn't think I could ever go away and live so far away from home, across the country, and it didn't bother me," Simms told The Western Star.
The Blizzard finished third in their division before being ousted from the playoff picture in six games in a best-of-seven series against the highly-touted Dawson Kings. For his efforts, the steady defenceman with a big shot accumulated 18 points in 18 games, including six goals.
After so many practices and games in a plenitude of arenas, Simms quickly realized nothing comes easy and hard work is a prerequisite for success in life no matter what a person's passion is.
"I learned that you have to work hard to get what you want," he said. "It just doesn't come easy, you have to put in the work over the summer, you have to train. Back in Newfoundland when I was playing minor hockey you never thought of training, but you would be surprised how much you can improve over a summer just by lifting weights and runnng and stuff like that."
Like so many others before him, Simms appreciates the coaches who helped him develop both as a player and a person. Dwight McMIllan, his coach in Weyburn, is one coach he holds in the highest esteem.
"Dwight McMillan is the winningest coach in junior A hockey history," he said.
"He's an older guy who has been around the game a long time, he knows the game so well. He helped me in my transition from midget to junior, he made it much easier for me. Just being around the rink with him every day and learning off him you just learn so much."
As for a highlight of his junior days, suiting up for the Canadian Prospects Game - a showcase of the best Junior A players in the country - as an 18-year-old in his rookie season quickly came to mind.
"There was a scout there from every NHL team and I got to play with some players like Kyle Turris (of the Phoenix Coyotes) who is playing in the NHL now," he said. "So just playing with guys like Kyle and seeing what it takes to make the NHL ... just looking back at it I can say Kyle Turris was on my hockey team, that's special you know." Simms and his fiancee Megan Carey of Corner Brook will return home in a couple of weeks for the summer.
Hanging out with friends, working part time and yes, more intense training, will be on the agenda for Simms. He's unsure of what he wants to do now, but he is now entertaining some offers from colleges in Eastern Canada and is also giving serious consideration to a career in the RCMP.
"Obviously, I still have to stay in shape just in case something happens, something works out," he said.
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