Hayden King (left) and Caleb Garrecht (right) at SEAC Fall Development Camp (Photo courtesy of Scott Roblin)

By Scott Roblin

Two-Sport Stars

King, Garrecht feeding Junior Little League World Series experience into hockey

Aug 20, 2019 | 8:55 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Caleb Garrecht and Hayden King had to be sharp on Tuesday, taking to the ice for the first time this year at SEAC Tigers Fall Development and Conditioning Camp.

It was an early wake up to say the least for the pair, as they had landed in Canada less than 24 hours prior.

“We got home at 10:30, then [Tuesday] morning bright and shine packed the hockey bag, then off to the rink,” said Garrecht.

Garrecht and King, along with the rest of the Medicine Hat AAA All-Stars had just returned from representing Canada at the 2019 Junior Little League World Series in Taylor, Michigan.

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A tournament which King said lived up to all expectations.

“I always wanted to play with Team Canada on my chest,” said King. “That was really awesome to represent my country in Michigan.”

Team Canada was bounced after two games in the double-elimination tournament, but the experience of meeting and facing the world’s best was the real prize for the Medicine Hat boys.

“It was awesome, we got to play Mexico, Puerto Rico,” said Garrecht. “Tough teams but we got to meet new teams, get along with them, have a lot of fun.”

Just as quickly as their baseball season ended however, the hockey season began with force for both Garrecht and King.

The pair will be taking part in the final two days of the five-day camp, coming down from the biggest tournament of their lives and now focusing on the puck.

“It’s different, like I think I’m still in baseball mode man,” said Garrecht. “We had baseball yesterday, we flew back, now I have a hockey stick. Just getting back into the season.”

Both admitted the first few laps on the ice at the Hockey Hounds Recreation Centre were dodgy trying to get the legs back, but hope things will loosen up as try-outs continue.

“I’ve been pretty rusty so far, but hopefully it gets better,” said King. “I’ve got a couple ice times for try-outs.”

Garrecht and King were teammates on the Medicine Hat Bantam AA Hounds last year, losing in the South Central Alberta Hockey League semi-finals to the Wheatland Warriors.

Now, the duo have their sights set on jumping up a level in their final year of bantam and joining the SEAC AAA program.

King said being a two-sport athlete on both the diamond and ice helps his game in both the summer and winter.

“Playing lots of sports, I feel like it helps me in other sports too,” he said. “Playing hockey and then going into baseball helps me be better at baseball.”

Coming off a national championship with the AAA All-Stars, there’s not much higher of a pedestal that the two SEAC hopefuls have stood on.

But, Garrecht looks at his success on the national and international baseball stage as something that can prepare him for the rigours of the AAA level.

“You’re on TV, a lot of pressure doing that,” said Garrecht. “I can take that pressure and put it into hockey in a high-pressure situation.”

There is plenty of competition for spots on SEAC’s Bantam AAA roster with just a handful of returning faces eligible to come back.

As their focus now shifts entirely back to the rink, King joked he and Garrecht now have something in their back pocket to hold over friends and teammates.

“They’re all jealous but they don’t say it, they wish that they were out there,” said King.