LONDON, Ontario — It’s a time-honored, Canadian tradition—waking up in the dark, grabbing your gear, and setting off to the rink on a Saturday morning. With dreams of playing for a post-secondary institution, being selected for a national team, or even being drafted into the NHL, many kids develop a strong work ethic and drive early on through the love of sport. However, even when the envisioned path takes a slight turn, there remain valuable lessons learned about work ethic, team, and commitment that will last a lifetime.

16-year-old Mason Landry started playing hockey with the West London Hawks at three years of age. “He had a natural talent in skating and loved playing with his friends,” recalls his dad, Bill Landry, “and always gave 100% whenever he was on the ice.” Mason made the London Junior Knights 06 Team in Minor Atom, and has played AAA with them ever since. When asked what his biggest challenge has been in hockey, Mason acknowledges the factor that adversity has played and how he deals with it. “There will always be issues that challenge you, whether that be on or off the ice. The goal is to keep moving forward and doing your best to overcome that adversity.” This year, Mason had hoped to be drafted to the OHL, however, that did not happen. After taking some time to reflect on the disappointment, he plans to move forward and continue to learn and grow as an athlete. “I looked at others who have taken different routes to the NHL and even gone on to win Stanley Cups, and drew inspiration from their experiences and stories,” says this mature high school student. One of the best pieces of advice Mason ever received from a coach was: “Keep at it. Even if you don’t succeed the first time, keep trying and working toward what you want to do; keep trying no matter what.” It is evident the advice that this player has received has been taken to heart and applied across all aspects of his life—school and sport included.

Next season, Mason will play Major Midget AAA, A/P with the Komoka Kings Junior B team and his entire family is excited to see what the year brings. “His strengths are in his skating and his ability to play a team game. He is not a loud person, but very humble,” says his dad.

Mason also places a high value on post-secondary education, regardless of where athletics may take him. With a dad who played varsity hockey for Queen’s University, perhaps he will follow in his footsteps, but for now, he looks forward to the upcoming season, bonding with his teammates, and enjoying the sport for which he has a deep passion.

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