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“That’s pretty much where I grew up, right by Linden Calvert said that Craig (Chevy) Anderson and Mark
Lanes.” Calvert said. (Johnny) Johnston literally had a sizeable impact for
He started playing at age six because his two older him when they measured the tiny youngster a few
brothers were in the sport. As a result, his parents inches taller than he actually was to give him a chance
made him wait an extra year. in midget.
White first hit the ice visiting family in Souris at age “My first year I went in, I was barely five feet tall, and
three, and started playing at age five. His family’s Chevy was a small guy and so was Johnny,” Calvert
backyard rink was used in addition to the nearby said. “Those were the guys who gave me a chance
Green Acres community centre. when I was a tiny kid. Those were the two who really
“Kids have so much ice time now,” Calvert said. “We shaped my career.”
were all developed in the outdoors.” Ferland and Calvert would become Brandon Wheat
Whitecloud acknowledges the role former Brandon Kings, while White played his four-year Western
Wheat Kings captain Brad Twordik played in his Hockey League career with the Calgary Hitmen.
development when he coached him in high school. Whitecloud took a different route, going from high
“He was kind of the one who lit a spark under my ass, school hockey to midget AAA to the Manitoba Junior
and said ‘Dude if you don’t pull yourself together, Hockey League to Bemidji State University. He was
you’re not going to see AAA, you’re not going to make signed as a free agent by Vegas in March.
it out of high school or anything like that,” Whitecloud While the game is increasingly changing to more of
said. “That was a big one for me.” a white collar sport played at the top levels in prep
Former Wheat King Brad Wells coached Ferland schools, the blue-collar Brandonites are united by
with the midget AAA Wheat Kings, and wouldn’t their work ethics.
accept any excuses while preaching the value of hard “For me, I learned the hard way,” White said. “I was
work. never in good shape so I’ve always had to work harder
White played with Joel Malchuk and was coached and harder to get myself to compete with these guys.”
by his father Kevin. For Ferland, who was always a physically gifted
“If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know if I’d be as specimen in junior, the lesson came loud and clear as
knowledgeable about the game,” White said. “He he moved on to the next level.
really taught us about the game.” “When I went to my first pro camp at 20 years old I
He also says former Wheat Kings defenceman Cam was so out of shape, that’s when I figured out ‘Wow, I
Plante had a big impact. need to start working out,” Ferland said. “I need to