Cloverdale A1 Bantam Colt Wesley Ellingsen is heading to the one of the biggest tournaments of his career.
The 15-year-old goalie is playing in the Male U16 B.C. Cup in Salmon Arm over the weekend.
Western Hockey League and B.C. Junior Hockey League scouts will be there watching April 18 to 21, as 160 players on eight teams compete.
The tournament determines who will move onto the provincial camp in July, and from there be selected for team B.C.
Just being named to play in the tournament is a big step for young players.
Ellingsen was the only Cloverdale boy to make it to Salmon Arm. He was one of 48 goalies attending a regional camp of 200 contenders in the Lower Mainland to qualify. More than 600 players tried out at four regional camps across the province.
Ellingsen, a Grade 9 student at Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary, is playing on the star team, one of eight teams playing four tournament-style round-robin games, with three seeding games for the finals on Sunday.
The teams each have designated coaches and trainers.
The players at the Male BC Cup are mixed together from all regions, instead of head-to-head action, to keep a competitive balance.
Wesley's mother, Tricia Ellingsen, says the boys stay in dorms for four days, and try to gel with kids they've never played hockey with.
"It's a great weekend," she said. "I think it's going to be a fantastic experience."
Other players from Surrey are Matt Barberis, who plays defence, Nicholas Tallarico, a goalie, forward Michael Regush, and Justin De Vos, also a forward, and Sahvan Khaira (defence).