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Voyageurs Profile with Garry and Eli

“Three words that would describe me as a hockey player: Dedicated, hardworking, and aggressive.

“Three words that would describe me as a hockey player: Dedicated, hardworking, and aggressive.”
Garry Mindus is one of 11 veteran players returning to the Portage College Voyageurs for the 2018/2019 season, and has been with the organization for since 2014.
Mindus, from Whitecourt, started skating when he was three because his parents built a backyard rink. He began playing hockey shortly thereafter.
Growing up in Northern Alberta, it made Lac La Biche a more desirable place to come to school.
“Because [Portage College] is a smaller school, you are on a first-name or nickname basis with your teachers. Plus my parents are only two-and-a-half hours away, so they come to all of my games.”
Mindus is pursuing his Bachelor of Commerce degree in Business Management. This past summer Mindus worked as a real estate appraiser in Northern Alberta.
Mindus started his junior playing career in the Western States Hockey League with the Arizona Redhawks. He joked how it was different to play down there because of the summer temperatures in the winter months, and he could leave practice in shorts and sandals. Mindus then played in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League for the Powassan VooDoos, but then was traded to the Iroquois Falls Eskimos in 2015.

Cut in the face

He recounted how in a game where he was playing his former team, the VooDoos, he took a skate to the face. With adrenaline and emotions running high due to him playing against his former team, he skated back to the bench, got taped up and played the rest of the game. He later needed 10 stitches.
Growing up in Northern Alberta, Mindus became an Edmonton Oilers fan at an early age. While initially his favourite hockey player was Oilers veteran, Ryan Smyth, these days, it is Connor McDavid.
Mindus was awarded a $1,000 scholarship last year owing to his high volunteer hours.
“We do a lot of volunteering in the community, particularly with the younger kids. It feels good to give back and it also gives you a sense of pride.”
With the new season upon the Voyageurs, and the high amount of newcomers joining the team, the piece of advice he has for them is

to, “come in and be willing to work every day— but make sure you stay on top of your schoolwork.”

Eli Jarvis

“Favourite movie? I would have to say Tenacious D, but 50 First Dates for my soft favourite,” laughed veteran Voyageur forward, Eli Jarvis, who has been playing hockey since he was five. It all started when his dad built a hockey rink in the backyard.
He grew up in Quesnel, BC, playing hockey with his siblings: two brothers, and a sister.
Jarvis joined the Voyageur organization in 2016. He has experience playing in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJAHL) and Maritime Hockey League (MJAHL).
While he initially began his student-athlete career studying for his Bachelor of Commerce degree in business, he recently switched over to the Power Engineering program because of its quicker pace and ability to allow him to work sooner.
This past summer, Jarvis worked for the City of Quesnel, but that did not stop him from partaking in his favourite hobby of fishing.
“I love being out on the lake. I was able to go fishing a bunch this summer and even did some river fishing- it was great.”
Describing himself as a, “hardworking, playmaker, and skilled,” hockey player, he is excited for the upcoming 2018/2019 season.
One of his biggest motivators this season is seeing the hard work and positivity joining the dressing room.
“We have a goalie, [Taryn Kotchorek], who we believe in. Honestly, he probably battles the hardest in practice. He doesn’t ever give up in drills. It makes [me] want to work harder. It is a good feeling knowing we have that when you come to the rink.”

Superstitious stretch

Jarvis is a highly superstitious player, and does things a certain way on game days. His extensive game-day routine includes doing the exact same stretch the exact same way in the exact same spot.
Outside of playing hockey and studying, he enjoys watching true crime shows and documentaries on Netflix, including: First 48, Forensic Files, and I’m a Serial Killer.
“I am excited to win some games this year. I know that [Coach Nate Bedford] isn’t going to tolerate losing, and neither am I.”

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