Leo Yates is a varsity hockey player for Huron. His interest in hockey sparked when he was little. His dad took him to his first game when he was younger. Since then he has had a big interest in playing hockey.

“I just started to love the game because of that,” Yates said. “I started playing eventually once I was old enough.”

Once he was about 5 or 6, he officially started playing hockey for the 2006 Wolverines. Over the years he has watched himself progress in his sport. He enjoys every moment he gets to play. 

“My favorite thing is probably seeing the progression and how much better I’ve gotten over the last couple of years,” Yates said.

Along with a lot of bad things that have happened to him while playing hockey, there have also been a lot of bad things that’s happened as well. Though there is one that stands out the most and this is when COVID hit. He was placed at a lower level during the couple of years that COVID hit. But now he practices for a long time after school everyday.

“It’s usually for anywhere  from 50 to 80 minutes,” Yates said. 

With all of the practice that he puts into his sport, he has big dreams for the future. He has dreams to make it to the NHL but isn’t so sure he just might make it. He always likes seeing himself grew in the sport over the years as well.

“But if I can play at a high level and even get paid to play, I’d be pretty sweet,” Yates said.

When he was little he was introduced to this sport by his father, it instantly became something that he tremendously enjoys dong in his free time. 

“I just started to love the game because of that. I started playing eventually once I was old enough.” Yates said.

They go through a long and tough practice every day after school, going from 50 to 80 minutes. Practices are normally Monday through Friday, every week. Yates has big goals for the future with hockey — although he plans on making NHL, even if he doesn’t, he hopes to at least play at a higher rank than he does currently.