THE EQUITY will be publishing a new weekly series of profiles of the Pontiac Lions Midget A players. Fans of local hockey can enjoy some insight into what gives these players the drive to come out and be the best they can be for their team at home and away. This week’s profile is on Evan Atkinson, a third-year midget player with the Lions.

AGE: 17
NUMBER: 7
For Atkinson, the feeling of how free he feels, every time he steps foot on the ice, whether it’s a game or a practice. He loves the feeling of gliding on the ice, the chill on his face, and the sound of a puck flying off his stick. It’s just a feeling that he says he can’t get anywhere else. “Plus playing with guys you’ve grown up with your whole life with just makes the experience much more enjoyable,” he says.
This is Atkinson’s final year at the Midget level. He was chosen by his teammates to be captain of the team this season.
Atkinson feels that growing up playing hockey always had an impact on his life, it became a part of who he is as a person. He feels that people would always see him at the rink on weekends and that’s how they began to know who he was, through hockey. Atkinson says that hockey has always given him something to look forward to during the winter months (the fifth season). Game days are always pretty exciting and he looks forward to them as soon as he gets out of bed in the morning. It has given him the sense of friendship and leadership.
Atkinson graduated from Pontiac High School last year and is now starting the electrical trade and so he looks forward to this new chapter in his life. As far as hockey, this is his last year of Lions minor hockey and he says it is a little surreal on how fast it went. He knows that he wants to continue playing hockey next year, whether that be with Shawville Adult League or somewhere else. “All I know is that I want to continue to play for many years to come,” Atkinson said.
According to his coach Ray Curley, Atkinson represents their team by wearing the “C” (captain) on his jersey. He is known for playing each shift hard while always playing the game with respect. “Evan is quick and has the ability to turn plays around on the ice to generate scoring opportunities,” said Curley.