RHA NATIONALS
Cyle McNabb:
A Giant Future
By Scott Taylor
Photos by Bruce Fedyck
S
Cyle McNabb lost his dad, Jamie, to cancer almost five
years ago. Since then, hockey, his family and
especially his mom, Rosy, have helped him find
success. An outstanding student and an RHA Nationals
assistant captain, McNabb just had a tremendous
season in the Canadian School Sports Hockey League.
So good, in fact, the he recently signed with the
Western Hockey League’s Vancouver Giants. With faith
and hard work – and the power of hockey -- there is a
light at the end of any dark tunnel.
54 GAME ON
2017 CHAMPIONS EDITION
cott Unger, the regional scout for the Western
Hockey League’s Vancouver Giants is excited
about the future of RHA Nationals assistant cap-
tain Cyle McNabb.
However, while Unger is thrilled that McNabb has signed
will head to camp with the Giants next fall, he’s just as en-
amored with the young man as he is with the young man’s
playing ability.
“Cyle has grown a lot since bantam and has really devel-
oped his game in his last two years while playing midget,”
said Unger. “He’s a hard working kid that uses his hockey
sense to create offensive opportunities and he makes an im-
pact on the game at both ends of the ice. Most importantly,
he’s a kid of tremendous character, which is something we
value immensely.”
McNabb’s coach with the RHA Nationals midgets, Rob
Smith, has no problem echoing Unger’s sentiments. He
thinks pretty highly of the 16-year-old Grade 11 student, as
well.
“Cyle wore a letter for us this year so we gave him the re-
sponsibility of being a leader and he handled it very well,”
said Smith. “He’s a popular kid in the room so the kids gravi-
tate towards him. They listen when he speaks, they like him.
We’ve had really good feedback.
“The principal (at Shaftesbury High School) approached
me one day and said, ‘You know you have a player who has
really hit the next level.’ She spoke so highly about the way
in which Cyle had matured this season. There had been a
noticeable change in his maturity level and how he was help-
ing other students in the classroom and how he was helping
other RHA players in the school setting and I’ve seen that on
the hockey side, as well.
“He’s just a guy who has been really good for us in the
room. As a coach, you really need the help of your leaders
to buy in and then spre ad the word to the rest of the group
and he’s done a very good job in that regard. He’s been a
good link for us to the rest of the room. He’s a character
player and more importantly, he’s a young man with a lot of
character.”
It would be fun to say that McNabb has had an easy time
in the last few years. It would be fun to say that he was an
outstanding bantam and midget who easily moved from one