GRAND FALLS-WINDSOR, NL – Like many hockey players, Mitchell Dinn started out young.
The Grand Falls-Windsor teen hit the ice when he was three.
“Around when I was four - my pop was always a goalie - so he kind of got me into it and I never wanted to get out since,” Dinn said of his grandfather Thomas Fudge, from Grand Falls-Windsor, who played with the Cataracts years ago.
He’s following in those footsteps and the 14-year-old is having much success, even winning a top goaltender award at a high school tournament in Paradise
At just Grade 8, Dinn played this season with the Exploits Valley High Eagles, a team of Grade 10-12s.
Coach Glenn Casey invited Dinn out to practice. They only had one goalie, Michael Day, show up for tryouts and Casey said it’s always nice to have another goalie.
After finding out he was allowed on the roster, Dinn ended up being part of the team.
“I can’t say enough good things about Mitchell and his parents,” Casey said. “He was extremely excited to be playing with the high school team and just gelled.
“He ended up getting top goaltender at Beaumont Hamel which is certainly a big accomplishment for any Grade 8 kid.”
Though Casey couldn’t make the Beaumont Hamel Cup - a 16-team high school tournament in Paradise and the team’s last tournament of the season, due to personal injury - he said his great staff, including assistant coach Corey Keats, managed the team.
The Eagles took on some tough competition like Queen Elizabeth High and Holy Heart. They managed a couple of wins in the round robin before being eliminated in the quarterfinals, a great accomplishment for the team.
Dinn said he was shocked when they called his name for the top goaltender award and everyone started cheering. He expected the goalie from Holy Heart to get it.
Great goalie
Casey has been around Dinn and his family for a number of years, and coached him when he was in Novice hockey, so he knows them well.
“He’s a great kid,” Casey said. “For us to have him on a team was an honour. He didn’t let us down. He played in some difficult situations and he always came up good. He’s a great kid and a great goalie.
“Even though he’s in Grade 8, he responded like any high school student would – very mature and kept composed in the net and did all the little things that we asked hum. All the kids loved him too.”
Casey said being on the high school team was good for Dinn, playing against midget players, getting more ice time and games.
“It helped me a lot even off the ice, being able to handle myself because we had to go on a bus without our parents and being able to be in tough situations with harder shots and faster game. I loved it,” Dinn said. “They treated me well.”
Next season
Dinn was away recently trying out for Team NL. He said it went well and he should hear soon if he made the team or not.
Next year it seems Dinn won’t be playing with EVH as the papers are signed for him to play at a prep school in Nova Scotia, Kings Edgehill, where Grand Falls-Windsor native Brian Casey coached this season.
“At the beginning of the year Brian was talking to my dad because the goaltender they have is leaving,” Dinn said. “I went up to Ice Jam and I played really well up there.”
Scouts were there and had a look at him and were interested, Dinn said.
“Then I won the top goalie down here and now they can’t wait to bring me up,” Dinn said, adding the school is Grades 7 to 12 and he will be playing on the Grade 10-12 under 18 team. “I am really excited to go. I feel I’m ready for it.”
