Jack Long grew up watching Powell River Kings play hockey. This year, his fifth as a defender with the club, he was named captain of the hockey team he grew up with.
“When I was watching games as a kid, it was always my dream to play for the Kings,” said Long. “I fulfilled that dream, but being named captain this year was probably one of the most special things that has happened to me in my hockey career.”
Growing up, Long attended almost every Kings’ home game. He first learned to skate when he was 18 months old, and started playing minor hockey in Powell River at age four.
He spent one year in Nanaimo playing for North Island Silvertips in the BC Hockey Major Midget League, but most of his hockey career has been spent in Powell River with the Kings.
Long was an assistant captain last season, and is only the second player who hails from Powell River to be named captain in Kings’ history. The other, Mark McKamey, played for the team between 2005 and 2009 and was captain for the 2008/2009 season.
“I see my role as leading the team through a successful season and onto the playoffs,” said Long. “A lot of that will be helping my teammates take care of themselves and each other. If we’re going to have a chance at a championship win, we need to stay strong and healthy. I’m working on being a role model on how to do that and answering everyone’s questions.”
Long joined the Kings in 2015 and has played more than 180 games for the team. His long tenure puts him in the running to be one of the players with the most games played with the franchise. The current games-played leader for the Kings is Mike Wakita, a defender who played 232 regular season games between 2001 and 2006.
“I haven’t been thinking much about the games played statistics; my focus is on staying healthy and playing most of the season,” said Long. “That’ll be important to our success as a team, and the games-played numbers will just happen.”
Long, who turned 20 in late September, hopes to earn a scholarship to play hockey at a Division I university in the United States when his time with the Kings is over.
“I like to be moving and doing things, so that focus will help direct what I want to study and what I want to do in the future,” said Long. “I’ve been considering business or geography, but right now my focus is on the Kings and making the most of this season.”
One thing is certain. When Long skates onto the ice at Hap Parker Arena wearing the captain’s C, he will inspire young Kings fans of today on their own hockey journeys, whether it leads them away from Powell River or to follow in his footsteps on home ice.
The next BC Hockey League action for Long and the Kings is in Victoria on Saturday, September 28, when the team faces the Grizzlies at The Q Centre. Game time is 7 pm.
