Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

Will Munro: ready for the roady

Prairie Boy!

Dec 7, 2023 | 8:00 AM

You can take the boy out of the prairie, but you can’t take the prairie out of the boy.

That may best describe Kelowna Rockets sophomore forward Will Munro as he heads out on a team bus this morning bound for Saskatchewan, before making a brief stop in his home province of Manitoba.

“A lot of these teams we are facing, I grew up watching,” the Swan River Manitoba resident told RocketFAN. “It is special for me to play them. Growing up I idolized many of the players, specifically Regina and Brandon, so it is going to be cool for me to play in these arenas that I couldn’t even imagine when I was younger.”

The road trip starts with a game against the Pats in Regina on Saturday night (104.7 The Lizard has the pre-game show at 4:35 pm BC time) before heading 362 kilometers further east to face the Brandon Wheat Kings on Tuesday.

“I grew up watching the Wheat Kings,” Munro said. “I was a big fan of the Wheat Kings when I was younger. I have a lot of friends and family in Brandon, so it is going to be a special night with those people watching me.”

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On that list are father Ken and mother Loriann, who will be as proud as punch to see their 18-year-old son wearing Kelowna Rockets colours on opposition ice.

“It is pretty cool he [Ken] can come to watch,” Munro’s eyes lighting up in anticipation. “It may seem weird for a lot of these guys to drive four-hours for parents, but that is the closest game for them. He doesn’t have to drive the 18-hours to Kelowna. He might be a little emotional because we grew up watching those guys [Wheat Kings] play.”

Swan River is a small town, with a population of just over 4,000. It is located north of Brandon, close to the Saskatchewan boundary in west-central Manitoba.

“Growing up, we were part of a Saskatchewan league,” Munro commented. “A lot of the Manitoba teams would play in Saskatchewan. It is hard to find teams because there are so many small towns, so you are trying to put as many together as possible due to the small amount of kids.”

Swan River can boast about the fact that Munro is from there, but it can also brag about one of the wonders of the world.

“We have a magnet hill,” he added. “You can put your car in neutral and you will go up the hill, so that is probably our biggest tourist attraction.”

Munro isn’t joking. Magnet Hill is indeed a thing, where motorists are amazed as they are pulled back uphill, with no magnets in sight, and scientists bewildered on why it happens.

“Swan River is a small-knit community,” he continued. “You go to the grocery store, and you probably know everyone by name. Everyone grows up together, and there is a strong bond in the community. We are just prairie people, and it feels a little bit more hospitable going back there. It has to do with all the small-town, tight-knit communities where everyone gives to each other.”

The real challenge for Munro and his teammates on this road trip is staying focused. Family and friends provide a distraction, as does the fact that the Christmas holidays are just 10 days away.

“I think it is a big challenge,” Munro admitted. “Last year was my first year, so going in I was excited to go home. But you have to realize we have business to do there, and those are five big games for us.

“A solid road trip could set us up leading after the Christmas break, so you have to stay focused and realize you get your ten days off after the games, but it will be a challenge.”

Munro, who is about as likable a personality as you will find in junior hockey, is looking forward to the holidays.

“My family goes big for Christmas,” he concluded. My mom has the inflatables out along with the Christmas lights. We are a Ukrainian family, so we will go see my grandma who makes perogies and cabbage rolls, and we even have moose meat.”

And when it comes to gifts?

“I think I have everything I want,” Munro said with appreciation in his voice.

“Well, maybe one thing. I hope my grandma gives me some money, that would be kind of nice.”