Meet Red Deer Polytechnic hockey player Hayden Clayton

RED DEER, Alberta — Hayden Clayton, No. 73 of the Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) Kings hockey team, has been playing hockey for as long as he can remember.

“Without hockey, I wouldn’t be where I am in life today,” said the twenty-two-year-old RDP student. “It has given me many opportunities that I don’t take for granted.”

When Hayden was four-years-old, he learned to skate right here in his hometown of Sylvan Lake, though he admits that he didn’t love it at first.

“I hated every second of it and I would just lay on the ice and cry for the whole ice time,” he laughed. “My mom told me that I did this because all I wanted when I was out there was a stick and puck. So, she had to come up with a new plan. We went to the lake with my uncle, of course I brought a stick and a puck. This attempt was much more successful as this is when I fell in love with the game.”

It was when Hayden was five-years-old that he first laced up his skates to play on a team.

“I played most of my minor hockey in Sylvan lake for the Lakers then made the switch to Red Deer when AAA became an option,” Hayden said. “I played four years at the Junior A level and a small stint with the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the WHL.”

During his junior career, Hayden played mostly for the Whitecourt Wolverines, but he finished his career off with the Flin Flon Bombers of the SJHL after being traded to the team.

This led Hayden to where he is today as a rightwinger for the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings.

“I am currently in the justice studies program,” Hayden said. “[I] am looking to do something in law enforcement in my future career.

For Hayden, the best part of hockey is being part of a team.

“One of my favourite parts about hockey is the fact that it is a team sport,” he said. “You need the whole team to buy in, in order to be successful.”

Bonding with his teammates is something Hayden enjoys.

“You spend countless hours with each other on and off the ice, this creates a close bond between you and all of your teammates,” Hayden said. “Your teammates turn into your brother, and you create relationships that will last you a lifetime.”

Hayden says that it was his grandpa who inspired his love for the sport. “One of the ways I fell in love with the game was watching Don Cherry Rock‘Em Sock‘Em together [with my grandpa],” Hayden recalled. “He also would play mini sticks with me in our basement.”

When it comes to where he is today, Hayden is thankful for his parents.

“I can’t thank them enough for what they have done for me,” he said. “From driving me to morning practices, to making three trips to Red Deer in a day, the countless hours spent in a hockey rink, traveling all over the place just to watch me play . They had to make many sacrifices for me to play hockey and I am truly grateful for all that they have done for me.”

The RDP Kings are gearing up for playoffs, which will take place over the month of March. This year, Hayden hopes to win a championship with the RDP Kings and to be a leader for those around him.

Hayden loves playing hockey and gained a lot from the sport. “It has also given me memories and friendships that will last a lifetime,” he said. “Hockey has also taught me many valuable life lessons that I can use for the rest of my life.”

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