THE INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS

It’s been quite a season for two of the finest players to wear the uniform of the Pilot Mound Hockey Academy Buffaloes. For former captain Tynan Ewart and former offensive stalwart Colby Bear, the 2022-23 season with the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League champion Battlefords North Stars has been a tribute to both where they are now and from where they came. Ewart, 20, is a 6-foot, 180-pound defenceman from Duncan, B.C. who was named the SJHL’s Top Defenceman this season. Bear is a 6-foot 2, 200-pound forward from Peguis, who also plays Open Senior and Indigenous tournaments for the Peguis Mohawks. Ewart has committed to a hockey scholarship at NCAA Division-1 St. Cloud State University while Bear is still weighing his future options. Both are graduates of PMHA and both helped PMHA win the 2019- 20 CSSHL high school (U17) championship. “Their success is a big deal,” said Rick McConnell, their former coach at Pilot Mound. “It’s a big deal for us. They both came here and both played three years here. They both played right from Grade 10 through Grade 12. That was a benefit for both of them, because they both walked into Junior and played a prominent role. “Playing for me, they were both outstanding citizens – great kids, worked hard both on and off the ice and were very driven to get to the next level. Obviously, both of them helped lead our team to a CSSHL championship. They both played key roles. They are both offensive-minded, but they both took pride in keeping the puck out of our net.” This past season, Ewart led the SJHL in points by a D-man with eight goals and 56 points in 55 games, In 2019-20 he was the CSSHL’s Top Defenceman and Most Valuable Player. Bear had 13 goals and 40 points in 52 games and another four goals and seven points in 13 games in the SJHL playoffs. “Kids that are as driven as Tynan and Colby don’t come around all the time,” said McConnell. “They worked extremely hard to get better. Their goals at Pilot Mound were to get better and they obviously made great strides. I knew when they played for me that they were going to be successful Junior players. “I’m really excited to see them both have success because I remember how pumped they were to win at our level and now, to see them do it again, is really kind of inspiring. I think that winning at our level helped them to learn how to deal with the ups and downs of the playoffs. But even then, they were both great citizens and outstanding hockey players.” Battlefords’ head coach and general manager Brayden Klimosko is thrilled that both players are in his lineup. “Any player who comes into our program is first seen by my assistant GM Wylie Riendeau,” Klimosko explained. “Before I do any recruiting, Wylie watches the games and he’s the man who recommends players to me. Tynan had a B.C. Junior League tryout first and that didn’t work out the way he would have liked so he contacted us and said he’d like to come here while Bear jumped at the chance to play with us. “Now we’re at the point where Tynan is the best defenceman in our league and Colby is a very good 200-foot forward. They are both huge parts of our team.” As he watches the two every night, Klimosko has a definite opinion of what these two bring to the rink every day. “Tynan is a good, all-around defenceman,” he said. “He plays in every role for us. He’s in our top pairing, he’s the workhouse and overall he’s one of the guys who makes me a better coach because I can rely on him in every situation in every game. “Colby is big and strong. He wins draws, he competes hard, but offensively he can put the puck in the net, especially when the team gets rolling and he gains confidence. He’s physical, hard on the forecheck, has a great shot and there is a lot to like about him.” Klimosko said he was not surprised by the success that both players have enjoyed. “I’m not surprised by their success at all,” he said. “In fact, I expected it of them. They were always challenging themselves. They were never happy and always wanted more. They were both key contributors to our success and Battlefords’ success and both leaders in their own way. They are the types of guys who can get everyone around them to jump on their backs and get right at it.” McConnell agreed with Klimosko’s assessment. The success that has come to both players was not a big surprise. “They were lead-by-example guys,” said McConnell. “They spoke in the room, but they weren’t loud. You knew how hard they worked and they prepared and they’d only speak when need be. “They were both good students who kept their marks up. I remember Colby had to work a little harder. They both had a goal to win a scholarship. They were both great ambassadors at our school, as well. They never thought they were better than anybody. They were really good people.” “It’s great for us that they’ve graduated from our program and gone off to have success at a higher level. I’m quite proud of both of them.”