An Okotoks Midget AA Oiler defenceman’s hard work is finally paying off.
The South Central Alberta Hockey League (SCAHL) recently honoured Okotoks’ Tyson Arnholtz as a co-winner of the league’s Best Defenceman Award.
For Arnholtz, the honour was a welcome surprise after a productive season manning the blueline.
“I didn’t think my hard work was paying off,” he said.
After trying out for Junior A teams last season, the 17-year-old defenceman returned to the Okotoks Midget AA Oilers for a second go-round.
Under the tutelage of head coach Andrew Tuckey, Arnholtz’ game improved by leaps and bounds this season.
The Foothills Composite High School product credited Tuckey and his coaching staff for helping him fine-tune his game.
“Spending another year with them just developed the skills that they taught me in the first year even further,” Arnholtz explained.
His game improved so much, in fact, the league’s coaches voted Arnholtz the SCAHL’s best defenceman – along with Zach Wittenburg of the Wheatland Chiefs.
“It felt really good to get noticed in that by other coaches,” Arnholtz said.
The post-season accolades continued to pour in for the Oilers’ star as he and teammate Liam McMaster took part in an all-star selects game on Sunday at the Centennial Arena.
The Oilers players were selected to the SCAHL squad, who squared off against Calgary’s best Midget players in an exhibition contest.
“It’s nice to play one last game in minor hockey in our hometown rink,” Arnholtz said.
The game also provided the Oilers a final chance to play under the direction of Tuckey – who coached the SCAHL side.
The awards and all-star selections came as a minor consolation to the Oilers’ blueliner and his teammates after a difficult ending to the season.
The Red Deer Chiefs swept the Midget AA Oilers in the second round of the league playoffs.
The Oilers had a bye in the first round of the playoffs and were upset by the lower-seeded Chiefs in their first playoff series.
Arnholtz said his team was hurt by the extended break and failed to carry any momentum over from the regular season.
“I feel like that bye didn’t really work in our favour,” he said. “We didn’t know what playoff hockey was like as a team.”
Despite the disappointing end to his Midget career, Arnholtz insisted he would have fond memories of his time with the Okotoks Minor Hockey Association.
Now the Grade 11 Okotokian has turned his attention to the upcoming Junior A spring camps.
After auditioning for the Melville Millionaires last weekend, Arnholtz will take to the road for a camp in Port Albernie at the end of April.
He said he is hoping to showcase his game for a few more clubs in anticipation of playing for a Junior A club come September.
“Hopefully more spring camps will come,” Arnholtz said.
If his dream of playing at the next level isn’t realized, the SCAHL standout will return home and play for the hometown Junior B Bisons.
“(My) number one goal is to play Junior A and, if not, back here in Junior B,” Arnholtz said.
After trying out for the Junior A teams last season, Arnholtz explained he is much better prepared this time around.
“I feel bigger, stronger, faster. I think I can make an impact,” he said.
The Oilers product insisted he wouldn’t rest on the laurels of his award-winning season as he hopes to move up to the Junior A ranks.
Although the Best Defenceman award will look good on his resume, Arnholtz said he knows teams he will be auditioning for will be more impressed by his actions on the ice.
“There’s a lot of good players in these Junior A camps and the biggest thing is just sticking to my game… and showing them why I got that award,” he said.
