A bond built through hockey

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

Doug Taylor Photo

 

The local Wheatland Kings trio of Blake Bishop, Chris Williams and Lucas Jones has developed a friendship that has become stronger having grown up playing hockey together in Strathmore.
It wasn’t until the midget Tier 3 level that the three of them played together, where they captured a banner together.
When Williams moved from Calgary to Strathmore in 2006, he felt it improved his game, and he has had the chance to play with his teammates and close friends every year since.
“It’s pretty special and getting to finish here is pretty special as well,” said Williams.
“I found my friendships were closer and the way of hockey was a little better, going from town to town versus playing community to community. I think it was a little more heart and value there.”
Williams played midget-A in his last year of minor hockey and came into Kings camp as a hopeful wanting to continue the game. It turned out for the better as he would go on to play three seasons with the Kings and one with the Three Hills Thrashers.
“I was actually quite surprised I made the team that year but I just gave it my all,” recalled Williams.
“I didn’t get a whole lot of ice time my first year but when I went to Three Hills, it kind of brought up how good of a hockey player I could be. In the next year, returning to Strathmore, every year got better and better.”
He mentioned that playing in front of the Kings’ faithful has been the best experience as a player.
As for Bishop, he began by playing goaltender for four years but switched to defenseman in his first year of bantam because he had a temper and felt it was easier to take it out on physical play than taking it out on the posts.
“It was tough. I got put on my butt a lot,” said Bishop.
“I did learn how to play. I always wanted to be a forward but I was too defensive. I just worked on my defensive end and it worked for the best.”
“It was awesome,” said Bishop.
“It’s something I’ll never forget. You go to school with them, you go to the rink, and you hang with them on weekends. It’s something you make good life skills with.”
He added they have had their heated battles on the ice but in the end they’re just like family.
Upon completion of minor hockey, Jones fled to the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) for a year, but said it was nice to come back and cap off his career at home with people he grew up with.
“It’s been really good,” said Jones.
“I just wanted to be a part of something that’s starting up again and hopefully successful for a lot of years to come. It’s awesome to play with those guys and I couldn’t think of anyone else I’d rather step on the ice with at the end of the day. I’ve played with Willy since bantam and Blake since midget. It’s a different kind of friendship playing with the guys you play hockey with. They’re kind of like your brothers.”
He plans to attend SAIT for Power Engineering next fall.