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A good year or so of playing time with the AAA Midget Yorkton Harvest has already begun paying dividends.

Like most hockey players at this time of year, the last week or so before Christmas usually means no school and no hockey.

Sixteen-year-old Damon Severson is currently halfway through his first season with the Western Hockey League.

He isn't quite done for the season yet and he isn't going to have much in the way of holidays this year.

The former Yorkton Harvest defenceman was drafted last year by the Kelowna Rockets. He also expressed thanks to both his Yorkton billets when he was here, Rick and Brenda Haacke, as well as his Kelowna billets.

The Rockets are now off on holiday but Severson is not.

Last month, the young defenceman got word that he was selected to make the U-17 Team West roster. He will be playing in a tournament much the same as the World Juniors. The opening game is scheduled for Boxing Day and will go until Jan. 7.

Severson found out he had made that team too, late last month and now preparations are underway for him to head to southern Manitoba where he will be playing in both Winnipeg and Portage.The other added bonus about qualifying for the squad is that he said it will be well-attended by National Hockey League scouts.

He's already had a good showing so far. His first goal in the league came against the best team in the league, the Saskatoon Blades. He added an assist in that one too.

It came against "bigger guys" he said during the final game of the year for his former club, the Harvest.

"The speed is more uptempo. It's faster. There's more systems."

Severson was taken in the 2009 entry draft by the Rockets and said he's been enjoying every minute of it.

"It's the best place. I couldn't ask for anything more."

Going into training camp, Severson said that expectations placed on him by his coaches "were really high."

Three-and-a-half months later, he finds himself on the team's top power play unit alongside Tyson Barrie.

Severson said he's in it to hopefully make the professional ranks and also told the newspaper that he can't do much verbally at this point because league rules say he isn't permitted to talk to NHL scouts until he turns 17 (in August).

He said his best moment of his rookie season with the Rockets came before the team's home opener started when each Rocket's player was individually introduced.

Severson's first Major Junior goal came against the WHL's top club, the Saskatoon Blades.