It started in Anaham Reserve, an hour west of Williams Lake.
“I was born in Williams Lake but I come from a reserve called Anaham,” said Cory Loring, one of the latest additions to the 100 Mile House Wranglers.
Loring started playing hockey when he was around four or five years old. He began watching it and became entranced with it before his parents eventually registered him into the sport. Since then, he said, it’s always been his thing. His favourite team is the Vancouver Canucks, but the player he has modelled his style after is Alexander Ovechkin.
“Mainly just because I like the way he’s played – he likes to score goals, likes to throw a big hit here and there. I just have always wanted to be like that and I have seemed to have tried to model my game after him, but obviously there are some things I cannot model after, especially his shot [which] is crazy.”
Loring describes himself as a big forward who can skate well and has a really good shot.So far, his statistics as a Wrangler back that up. In just nine games with the team, he has six goals and five assists. He’s also been given more responsibility and ice time, playing in all situations.
His career in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League started with the Chase Heat in the 2015-16 season. He was there until their 2017-18 season, where he was then traded to Grand Forks after playing for 30 games.
“It just came down to me playing more and the coach recognizing that and he also wanted me to play more as well so he then traded me to Grand Forks but I didn’t want to go there,” recalled Loring on the trade.
Instead, he ended up in Summerland after asking a friend on the team – Cody Swan who is also from Williams Lake – if the coach there would take him in. Swan said he would. Loring ended up playing 95 games for Summerland, scoring 83 points.
“It was a lot of fun. I liked it,” Loring said. “I only knew one guy but as time went on I started being more comfortable around the other guys and we started becoming better friends. Last year was a really fun year and this year was really fun as well and I started to become closer and closer to everyone… Now am I here, back in the same boat.”
At twenty-years-old and in his last year of junior eligibility, Loring wanted more playing time again. After asking for that in Summerland, he said Summerland’s coaching staff and the general manager thought it would be best for him to be traded to 100 Mile House.
“I like it a lot since I’ve been here for three weeks,” he said, admitting he was a little shocked at first. But he has warmed up to the idea of being closer to home and playing in front of his family and friends from Williams Lake.
