It’s a new year with unlimited potential for Prince Rupert’s Judd Repole, playing for the Osoyoos Coyotes in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL).
Nineteen-year-old Repole is scoring points at a personal-record pace in a strong start to the season for him.
Repole, in his fourth season with the Coyotes, has 28 points in 14 games, which is quickly approaching his career high of 31 points — which was scored over 46 games last season.
His strong showing has him leading the league in assists (24), second in points (28) and second in points per game (2.0).
“I just have a lot more confidence coming into this year,” he said, adding it might also be due to the fact that he’s one of the oldest players on the team this year and getting more playing time.
He got his start with the team when he and his cousin, Tyler Ostrom, tried out for the team. They ended up playing two years together before Ostrom aged out of the league. He now plays for the Rupert Rampage.
Playing for the Coyotes has really improved Repole’s overall game.
“We’re on the ice every day of the week plus a lot of time at the gym. Playing a lot more with skilled players and older players helps too,” he said.
Repole has one more year after this before he ages out of the league. He hopes to take his hockey career as far as he can go and says his next step is probably playing at college.
Before he goes there, he hopes to win it all with his Coyotes teammates.
The Coyotes look primed for a strong year, thanks to its 11-3 start. The team last won a championship in the 2010-11 season.