Player Spotlight - Michael Clarke
Like many young Canadians, most of Michael Clarke’s childhood memories are centred around hockey. He first laced up the skates at three years old, taking to the ice at the local rink in his hometown of Terrenceville, a small town of about 500 people on the Burin Peninsula in Newfoundland. “One thing I always look back on from when I was younger was my grandfather bringing me skating every morning, taking me straight to Tim Hortons for lunch after”. Throughout the interview, the importance of Michael’s family in supporting his hockey career became clear. When asked about his role models, Michael cited his grandfather and parents as a constant source of support and encouragement, providing him with the opportunity to chase his dream wherever it took him. “Over the years, they have always found a way to financially and physically support me. From early mornings at the rink to long road trips and everything else that hockey parents have to deal with, I couldn’t have made it where I am today without them”.
A successful junior career spread across Western Canada led Michael to his rookie year with the 2019-2020 Pronghorns. 217 games in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, 57 in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and a handful with the Chilliwack Chiefs in British Columbia had Michael well prepared to make an impact during his rookie season with the Horns. Putting up seven goals and nine assists over the course of the season, Michael stood out amongst a group of ten other first-year players on this year’s roster. The young team experienced some growing pains as they found their stride, but Michael said he enjoyed his time with the Horns despite the ups and downs. After tying for third on the team in points this season, he is already looking ahead to his future as a Pronghorn, ready to hit the ice again for training in August.
When asked about the most important moment of his hockey career so far, Michael looked back to his time with the Humboldt Broncos, where he played for the 2018-2019 season. During the second period of the game against the Nipawin Hawks, Michael scored the first goal for the Broncos in their first game since the tragic bus crash on April 6, 2018. The game was broadcast live on TSN and garnered Michael national media attention. Taking to Twitter following the game, Michael remained humble: “Thank you to everyone for the support. The broncos past and present are honoured. #humboldtstrong”.
Speaking of the challenges of balancing an athletic career with student life, he noted the importance of eating healthy and hitting the books at the library, instead of trying to “study” at home, struggles many students can relate to. “The best advice I could give to someone trying to become a university athlete is to plan ahead. If you layout your schedule, it is a lot easier to balance everything you need to complete and allows for you to better allocate your time”.
Off the ice, Michael is studying a Bachelor of Management in Finance, and enjoys spending time outdoors, camping and playing golf. Regarding life in Lethbridge, Michael noted many things he enjoyed about the city, most importantly being close to much of his family. “Playing junior, I was always far away from home, so being close is a really nice change”.
