STURGIS — Trae Peterson, a 14-year-old Sturgis Composite School student, has signed with the Swift Current Legionnaires AAA U18 hockey team, a move which will be a huge step in his hockey career. He officially signed on with the team on April. 28. Shortly thereafter he was chosen in the third round, 56th overall in this year’s WHL draft by the Tri-City Americans on May 9. He will have to wait until he is in Grade 11 and 16 years old before he can play in the WHL.
In this past season of play he earned 84 points in 27 games, better than three points per game, as a forward with the Sask East Oilers U15 AA hockey team. He also added 14 points in four playoff games. He received the Most Valuable Player award for the Sask East Oilers U15 AA hockey team.
“Hockey is a huge passion for me. I set my sites high at an early age and have never looked back,” said Peterson. “I am excited to start the next season of play with Swift Current and it will be the first time I will experience being away from home,” he said.
Peterson started his hockey passion at the age of four when he began playing for Preeceville as a first year U7 player. He played with Preeceville teams until he reached the Atom U11AA level. As a first-year Atom he started playing hockey with the Yorkton U15 AA team. Last season he played with the Sask East Oilers U15 AA team based out of Yorkton/Melville.
“I made the decision to play with Yorkton to play a better calibre of hockey and to become a better player. I have not always played forward, I started out as defenseman but in my second year as a novice I was moved to the forward position and have never looked back,” he said.
“I was so excited to sign on with Swift Current and be drafted by a WHL team. To prepare myself, I am doing some mental and physical training and taking it one step at a time. Camp will begin the middle of August and I will move down to Swift Current,” he said.
He is supported by his parents, Conrad and Kristen Peterson, brothers, Shae and Drae and many other related family members.
