Nevan Flay didn’t grow up with a hockey stick in his hands. But he did get an early start with skates on his feet.
And that’s given the 18-year-old Port Moody Panthers’ defenseman a bit of an edge over some opponents and teammates in the Pacific Junior Hockey League.
Flay’s mom, Anita, was a competitive figure skater and she continues to teach power skating on the Sunshine Coast as a CanPower certified instructor. So it was only natural she’d lace blades onto Nevan’s feet when he was only three years old, and the family would venture to every public skating session in Sechelt, where he grew up.
Flay, who was acquired by the Panthers from the Delta Ice Hawks just before the start of the season, said his mom’s coaching ensured he was a skater before he was a hockey player.
“I just went out there and skated,” Flay said. “She just walked me through how the stride should look and we worked from there.”
That’s made him more solid on his feet, conducive to his aggressive style of play as he’s able to control his centre of gravity while taking hits and throwing them.
It also saved Flay’s family a lot of money as his mom’s counsel came from the boards for free. Still does as a matter of fact.
“She watches most of our games,” Flay said. “When she sees something I definitely hear about it, I get a phone call.”
Those calls keep Flay continually working to improve his stride, perfect more advanced moves like spineramas and “mohawks,” where a player keeps their heels together while facing an opponent. They’ve also honed his eye to critically watch other players in his own league and on TV.
“I try to watch their skating stride to see if I can try out that stride,” Flay said. “It’s helped me quite a bit, learning new things and trying new things.”
One of those new things is his move to Port Moody after a rookie season in Delta where he scored four goals and added five assists in 26 games. Flay said the move has been positive even though it means a longer commute to practices and games from his home in Richmond. He’s getting more ice time in Port Moody and he’s striding towards his goal of moving up to the Junior A level.
But he knows he can’t coast.
“Everyone at this level is a pretty good skater,” Flay said. “I’ve got to keep up and learn as much as I can.”
