Fourteen-year old focuses on ultimate goal of NHL

It has been nine years since he first stepped onto the ice and discovered this would be his passion.

Fourteen-year-old Wynter Cyr of the Pasqua First Nation will travel to Prague in the Czech Republic during the month of April 2010. He will play hockey for Team Western Canada Selects for the second year in a row.
In 2009, Cyr played for the same team, bringing home the gold medal winning over top European teams from Sweden, Czech Republic, and Finland.

Cyr has played both Winter and Summer hockey for various teams throughout Saskatchewan and has already accumulated a number of achievements in his budding hockey career.

He has played league, AA or AAA hockey for the Fort Qu’Appelle Falcons; Weyburn Young Fellows; Milestone Flyers; Saskatoon Hustlin’ Huskies and Jr. Blades; Lumsden Lions; Regina Sask Growl and Jr. Pats; Saskatchewan Black Hawks; and the File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council Winter Games Teams.

Cyr has also played in many tournaments throughout the prairie provinces accumulating a number of medals, trophies and awards.

He has played against teams from across Canada and the USA in these tournaments.  As a member of Team Western Canada Selects 2010, he will once again play top European teams from The Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland, and others.

Cyr gives credit to many of his coaches who have taught and helped him develop his hockey skills over the years. Even those dreaded figure eights.

And he doesn’t forget the many hours his family has spent in the rinks, the early hours or the late nights, and the many miles traveled.

Dreaming of greater hockey achievements, his hope is to play in the NHL. But he says he will see where this road takes him.

Cyr was honored to meet NHL hockey player Fred Sasakamoose at a fundraiser in Saskatoon in 2008. As well, the “Golden Jet” Bobby Hull was in attendance and watched one of Wynter’s games in February 2010, when Cyr’s team, the Lumsden Lions took on a Yorkton team.
Cyr takes pride in knowing that he is related to Bill LeCaine who played NHL hockey for the Pittsburgh Penguins from 1968-1969.

Cyr is a grade 8 student at the Bert Fox Community High School in Fort Qu’Appelle and maintains very good grades in his classes. He is highly active in school activities, track and field, and long distance running.

More recently Cyr has qualified for the Youth Livestock Program through the Saskatchewan Indian Equity Foundation and will purchase about 9 head of bred cows.   This will add to his previous purchase of two cows.

Under the mentorship of his father, Everett, Cyr plans to develop and gradually expand his herd. He has actively participated in the various farming operations and activities with his dad and grandparents on the family’s farm on the Peepeekisis First Nation since he was very young.

As an active rancher who is involved in school and sporting activities this will surely provide Cyr with a good foundation for his future.