Canmore resident Soma Furue joined the Alberta South Gold U13 hockey team for the Prospects Cup tournament. The Prospects Cup program provides U13 athletes with an opportunity to “discover the qualities of competitive hockey.”
The program begins with four regional camps designed to allow athletes to showcase their skills while receiving top-tier instruction and evaluation.
“For these athletes, it is their first introduction to the Hockey Alberta process. My hope is that they enjoy it, embrace the experience, and focus on their development,” said Mike Kraichy, Hockey Alberta’s Elite Male Hockey manager, in a media release.
But only the top 40 athletes from each camp are selected to participate in the Prospects Cup tournament. This year, the four regional camps were in Calgary, Olds, Edmonton, and Vegreville.
Furue started his Prospects Cup journey at the Olds camp, where he demonstrated his skills on the ice. Last season, he played for the Cochrane U13AA Timberwolves.
He ended the season with an impressive 15 goals and more than 30 points total. Furue likes to be in the thick of battle fighting for 50/50 pucks.
The young athlete prides himself on making smart but difficult plays that reward his team. After a three-day tryout at the Olds regional camp, Furue was a no-brainer pick for the Prospects Cup tournament.
“I think I’ve prepared myself pretty well for this tournament…I’m hoping some people notice me, and I’m hoping to develop my own skills from others,” Furue told Rocky Mountain Outlook.
The tournament began on May 11, 2023, and ran until May 15, 2023, at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre in Red Deer.
Eight teams participate in the Prospectors Cup tournament. Each team plays three round-robin matches, with the top four teams advancing to the playoffs.
South Gold faced off against Calgary Red on Thursday, but Calgary Red skated away with a 7-3 victory. South Gold had a slow start but picked up steam in the third, putting up 11 shots and two goals.
During the team’s second match against Capital Royal, South Gold scored the first goal. But Capital Royal’s sneaky positioning and play around the net earned the team a 10-2 win over South Gold.
On Sunday, South Gold faced off against its region rival, South Black, for seventh place. The team ended the tournament with an 8-4 loss against South Black.
