Athletics all in the family for rookie forward Gard
In the case of Matthew Gard, volleyball’s loss was hockey’s gain.
Gard’s parents, Jay and Sherry, were university volleyball stars who also played with Canada’s national teams. His father also played pro volleyball in Europe and his twin brothers, 18-year-olds Jack and Luke, are currently members of the University of Winnipeg men’s team.
But as for Matthew . . .
“Hockey has always been my game. I’ve never wavered,” the Red Deer Rebels rookie forward said Tuesday. “I played a little volleyball in middle school but never stuck with it.”
The 16-year-old was the Rebels’ second round selection in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft after scoring 10 goals and collecting 42 points in 27 games with the Rink Hockey Academy U15 team in his hometown of Winnipeg.
The six-foot-four, 180-pound winger continued his positive development last season, potting nine goals and adding 10 assists as a 15-year-old with the RHA U18 squad.
A highlight of Gard’s young hockey career was competing with Team Manitoba in the 2023 Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island.
“It was an unreal experience, it was so much fun and so cool being there,” said.
Gard was a spectator during the recent WHL Cup at the Peavey Mart Centrium, pulling for his home province.
As it turned out, his team of choice battled back from two early defeats to post three straight wins and capture gold.
“I knew a lot of those kids,” said Gard. “I would have played with them this year I if hadn’t made this team. It was the first ever (WHL Cup) championship for Manitoba, so that was pretty cool.
“It was huge for the province, a huge step. They (Hockey Manitoba) have always been building towards winning the event and it’s nice that it finally happened.”
Matthew isn’t the only Gard sibling to choose hockey over volleyball. His younger brother, Graham, is a promising 13-year-old defenceman with the U15 AAA Winnipeg Thrashers.
“He’s coming along and I think he’s planning to go the same route as myself,” said the Rebels centre. “He’s a big kid.”
Gard cracked the Rebels roster this fall after showing plenty of promise in training camp. That potential has been evident to the Rebels coaching staff.
“He’s got real good size and he’s a smart player,” said bench boss Derrick Walser.
“It’s a different level from what he’s come from and he has to get stronger like most 16-year-olds, be a little bit harder. But I think he’s a very smart player who has real high end potential.”
Gard’s size should be an advantage as he finds his way at the major junior level, as he continually grows accustomed to facing bigger, older opponents.
“It will when he grows into that body,” said Walser. “Again, he’s going to spend extra time in the gym trying to get stronger. When you don’t play as much as a 16-year-old there’s lot of time to sneak in extra workouts.”
Gard has dressed for seven games this season and has recorded a single assist. Of course, he’s been an everyday participant in the team’s intense practice sessions, valuable aids in his developmental process.
“The practices are faster here, so much faster with bigger players and more skill,” he said. “It’s been great so far. It’s really awesome being here.”
The Rebels have won just one of their last five games as they prepare to head west Thursday for a five-game tour of the WHL’s BC Division, but Gard is confident the team will snap out of their doldrums sooner than later.
“We’re building every day, just trying to get back into the win category . . . working towards that,” he stated.
Notable: Rebels forwards Kalan Lind and Talon Brigley and defencemen Hunter Mayo and Nicholas Andrusiak are on the team’s injury list, all are day-to-day. Rookie forward Jeramiah Roberts is week-to-week with an upper body injury . . . The Rebels will visit the Kamloops Blazers Friday and will be in Kelowna Saturday to face the Rockets. From there, the team will take on the Victoria Royals and Vancouver Giants next Tuesday and Wednesday and will close out the excursion with a Friday meeting with the Prince George Cougars. Red Deer’s next home game at the Peavey Mart Centrium is Nov. 18 versus Calgary.
