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Young goalie mentored by Oil Caps

Chey Nykoliation selected for Yellowhead Chiefs peewee prospect team
Young goalie
Chey Nykoliation, goalie for Virden Oil Capitals peewees – Team Clarke.

Recently 12-year-old Chey Nykoliation, goalie for both Virden Oil Capitals - Team Clarke (peewees), and for U12 Female Elkhorn Canadians was selected as one of two goalies for the Yellowhead Chiefs peewee prospect team.

Chey is the daughter of Mike and Kylee Nykoliation. The family credits help from Virden Oil Capitals MJHL team, and goalie Riley McVeigh, for hours of input into minor hockey.

“Chey’s successes in net this past year is largely because of Riley McVeigh’s inspiration,” says Kylee. He was the Caps mentor for the Virden Clarke peewee team, attending as many practices as possible, working with all the players on the team.

McVeigh also put on goalie clinics out of Elkhorn on his nights off, she says.

Keen young player

Nykoliation started playing hockey at the age of six, playing out as a skater. Since the age of nine she has been dedicated to keeping net. She attended  summer camps and The Rink (year-round goalie school in Winnipeg) to advance her skills.

This winter, added hours of training through Virden Oil Capitals mentoring program and special goalie sessions has paid off.

As a parent, Kylee is impress with the Oil Caps.

“Not everyone sees what these Oil Caps players give back to our community in their spare time. We are so fortunate to have such a great group of young men in our community to mentor our young kids.”

Each Virden minor hockey team had two Oil Caps players affiliated with them. From Squirts to Bantams, all the teams had Oil Caps at their practices.

Director of Operations for the Caps Jamie Hodson said the mentoring program had a strong start before the Oil Caps season became too busy.

Just for goalies

Having been a goalie himself, Hodson knows exactly what goalies go through to defend their net. A minor hockey goalie training session every other Monday evening was an idea he came up with last year; it was put into action this year.

“I had our own goalies come out and help me in the goalie sessions. We’d have anywhere from two to eight kids for those goalie sessions.”

Nykoliation was one of those who attended the hour sessions.

“A lot of it was just crease movements and proper feet movements, and then some shots,” says Hodson. “Foundational things that we worked on.”

Community-minded players

“I think on top of that Riley has been helping her, attending her practices as well,” said Hodson.

“Riley and Dalton are both our Community Minded Players of the Year on the team. They just do a lot away from the ice. That goes a long way, so it doesn’t surprise me that [Nykoliations] are pointing that out.”

Nykoliation sees her role on the team as exciting and challenging.

“Saving the shots is rewarding, also going against a hard team and being able to save shots off a top scorer.”

With a two-on-one play driving for the net, the young goalie admitted it can be intimidating. “I try to… think about everything Riley has taught me. Keeping focused on the puck and not the player. Centring the puck to my body … and hoping all that works,” she laughs.

Because of McVeigh’s coaching, Kylee says her daughter has been inspired to work hard and believe in herself.

“He is so modest.  I don't think he even realizes how he has been so instrumental in Chey’s life.

“She has become more confident in the net and continues to want to improve.”

Chey Nykoliation looks forward to playoff games for both the Virden Oil Caps peewees and Elkhorn Canadians.

The 12-year-old hopes hockey is part of her future for a long time to come.

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