Calgary's Auren Halbert going for gold at the World Para Hockey Championship
Auren Halbert is the lone Calgarian playing on the Canadian National Para hockey team.
This year's world championship is being played at the Markin MacPhail Centre at Winsport and Halbert is one of the key members on the team.
Halbert was born with a short left leg that had to be amputated at birth. When he was eight years old, Auren says he found sledge hockey and fell in love with the sport.
“I think my parents saw it on the news one day so they were like we’ve got to try this out,” said Halbert.
“They told me about it and I had no idea what it looked like and no idea what to expect," he said. " As soon as I was on the ice it was all smiles and (I was) super-excited to get into the sled.”
Dream come true
The 21-year-old has come a long way in the sport. He says making the national team was a dream come true.
“It means the world,” he said.
“I’ve been training since I was eight years old to make this team. It was definitely a grind to get here and every day I wake up I’m just super thankful to be where I’m at and to have the opportunity so I could get on the national team.”
One of Halbert’s biggest strengths is his speed on the ice. It’s one of the reasons why Head Coach Russ Herrington says decided to switch him from forward to defence.
“Early on it was still a little bit of trepidation of is this really want I want to do and how can I put my fingerprints on the game,” said Herrington.
“Now he’s starting to see that yeah he can be a Cale Makar-type of player for us because he’s on the ice a lot and he’s able to get to pucks that other guys can’t so it’s in his hands a lot as well.”
Tough transition
Halbert admits the transition to defence wasn’t always easy, he had to really work at it.
Even though it was difficult, Halbert says he’s feeling more comfortable every day.
“I had to accept it and just know that my role on the team was now a defenceman and just embrace that totally,” said Halbert.
“It’s been a big learning experience for me but I think playing forward gives me the advantage on defence knowing what forwards are looking for to get into the zone.”
Being the lone Calgarian on the team, Halbert says he’s looking forward to playing in front of friends and family who have never seen him play live before.
“I think just having that home ice advantage is huge for us. I mean having fans in the stands cheering is a huge help for us.”
The World Para Hockey Championship runs from May 4th to the 12th at the Markin MacPhail Centre.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From artificial intelligence running wild to collapsing ecosystems, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the near future.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Police in Ontario say suspects charged in armed home invasion near Toronto part of 'larger criminal network'
Police in Ontario say a group of suspects charged in an armed home invasion north of Toronto last year were driving a vehicle stolen in a carjacking in Calgary just one month earlier.
Stolen septic truck swerves through traffic, spike belt needed to stop it: Manitoba RCMP
A 29-year-old woman has been charged after police say she stole a septic truck from a Manitoba community and drove erratically on the highway.
Orphan orca's extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.