Since Konnor Smith was just a toddler, he has loved to skate. Taught by his dad and older brother Keagen on the Charles Clark Square outdoor rink at age 3, he quickly took to the blades and started hockey shortly after. Around the same age in his kitchen one day while missing the ice, he was caught pouring large buckets of water on the floor. When his mom Nicole questioned him, he said, “I make ice Mommy!”. Resourceful and determined, he was going to play hockey.
His hockey career took off at the ripe age of 4 at the previously called South Windsor Arena. He learned quickly, and never complained about going to the rink. Starting off as a centreman, he loved to practice shooting and skating as much as he could. At age 6 in the then Novice Minor division, they won the Cup at the Day of Champions. The following year he joined the Select 7 then Novice AA team, both achieving success.
When he approached Atom at the age of 9, it was off to tryout at the AAA level. He tried his best and made the team. He continued to play for the AAA zone throughout his travel hockey career except one year coming back to his home association Windsor Minor Hockey in his Peewee Major and then with the Chatham Cyclones for his Bantam Minor year. The change gave him perspective and drove him even more to achieve his goal – being drafted to the OHL. It was shortly after this year in Chatham he began working out with MH100, which built up his strength, endurance, and his determination. He was pushed to succeed in all aspects of his life – working hard at school, high school hockey and his AAA Zone Bantam Major team. Once he made the Midget Minor AAA Zone team in his draft year, he continued to work on his skills, skating, speed and shot to make him the best prospect for the draft.
The OHL draft rankings had him going in the draft in the 11th to 15th round, but Smith was hopeful it would be before that. April 4th, 2020 arrived, and the draft was taking place live – albeit on YouTube and not in person. The draft proceeded at what felt like a snail’s pace, going on for hours. Finally, the moment came – Konnor Smith of Windsor AAA Zone in the 9th round he was drafted 175th overall by the Peterborough Petes. He celebrated with his immediate family, not with the big arena setting or party that would have been if not in a pandemic. He had been drafted!
The road to success is still uncertain and long before him, but Smith is well on his way of achieving his dreams. The life skills he has developed throughout such as resilience, perseverance, and goal setting has allowed him to succeed at each level he has taken part in. On behalf of WMHA and your hockey family, congrats Konnor, we wish you all in the future! Good luck at the Pete’s training camp and beyond!