Seeing freshman Coleman DePretis walking around school, most would think he is just the average kid. Most people, in this case, would be wrong. DePretis has a hidden talent most would not guess: he is a phenomenal hockey player.
“I have been playing hockey since I was 8 years old,” DePretis said. “It’s a great game and I can’t see myself doing anything else.”
DePretis practiced hard all summer long, winning 3 different tournaments with his team and being recognized as a top tier player in being selected to compete in the Junior Olympics.
“Over summer I played in the Junior Olympics on a team composed of players from all across the country,” DePretis said. “We took home the silver medal, playing against teams from places like China, Canada and Hong Kong.”
However, in the end it was a much more local team who triumphed over the team DePretis played on.
“In the final we lost by 1 to Anaheim Junior Ducks, who are a year older than the team I played on,” DePretis said.
After experiencing such heartbreak in JO’s, DePretis is hungry and ready to tear it up during high school season.
“Now that I am in high school, I can finally play with my older brother Dawson and all the other great guys on the team,” DePretis said. “The team is looking really strong this year.”
Though for the most part the team has been steamrolling through the preseason, they have run into one pretty hefty roadblock in one of their competitors.
“Our only real challenge so far has been San Pasqual’s team,” DePretis said. “Carlsbad lost to them in the championship last year, so they’ll definitely be a challenge.”
DePretis was not on the team which experienced the defeat last season, but has picked up on the lust for revenge his teammates have.
“Although I am just a freshman, I already know there’s a really big hunt for redemption among us,” DePretis said. “So far this season we’ve had quite a rivalry.”
DePretis realizes hockey is not the sport of choice for most, but continues to passionately partake in his sport despite this.
“A lot of people think you can just beat up other players with a stick, but that’s completely wrong,” DePretis said. “There’s a lot more grace to it.”
If any students want to attend their games, the team plays wednesday nights at Kit Carson park in Escondido. With the potential for championship victory for this year’s team, DePretis is optimistic for the upcoming season.
“We’re gonna try our best to win it all, and hopefully it’s good enough,” DePretis said.
With at least four more years of hockey ahead of him, Coleman DePretis may soon become the face of Carlsbad hockey.
