Game On Magazine - April 2017 GameOn-Apr2017-P001-144-ONLINE | Page 94

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE REPORT presented by IBAM
fensive-like statistics with Moose Jaw -- four goals and 21 points with
a team-best plus-17 rating in 56 games (at press time). “Defense
leads to offence, so for me to make the first pass out of the zone
clean will, obviously, help in the offensive zone.”
If that sounds like “coach-speak”, Jett comes by it honestly. His
father, Larry Woo, a coach in the St. Boniface Minor Hockey Asso-
ciation, is a former assistant coach with the St. Boniface Saints of
the Manitoba Junior Hockey League who played in the WHL as a
defenseman with the Victoria Cougars and Swift Current Broncos
from 1989-91.
“He’s really helped me with the transition from Midget to the Dub,”
said Jett proudly. “He’s been through that process.”
That Winnipeg Wild Midget team has provided a reasonable boun-
ty of players to the WHL In addition to Woo, there is fellow defense-
man Drea Esposito (Calgary Hitmen), plus forwards Caiden Daley
and Rylan Bettens (both with the Brandon Wheat Kings) and Riley
Stotts and Tanner Mole (both with the Swift Current Broncos) They
are all 16-year-old freshmen.
Which, of course, also means close friends for many years of mi-
nor hockey are, suddenly, opponents, and in some instances, oppo-
nents with long-established heated rivals. Woo finds himself in that
situation with Daley and Bettens, both members of Moose Jaw’s
East Division rivals in Brandon.
“Me, Rylan and Caiden have a huge background,” explains Woo
about his long-time friends, team-mates and former J.H. Bruns Col-
legiate class-mates. “We won seven straight (age group) champion-
ships in Winnipeg together. The fact that we are so close (in the
league with them) in Brandon, playing (against) them every now and
then, it’s always a treat and it’s always fun to play against them.
“Obviously, I don’t want to hit them too hard, just those little things.
But, the competition is always huge and we always play around and
go, ‘Oh yeah, I’m 2-1 against you guys’ or whatever. It’s always a fun
competition against them.”
Now, about that name being a play-by-play broadcaster’s dream.
What does James Gallo, the voice of the Moose Jaw Warriors, think
about letting out a, “W OO-O-O-O” whenever Jett Woo scores a goal?
“I think everybody wants the Ric Flair, ‘Woo.’ But, I think we’re
holding off on that until, maybe, Jett gets a little older,” explains the
veteran of 17 WHL seasons in Moose Jaw’s broadcast booth. “I’ve
been taking bribe offers from some people to do it.”
What does the player think about having his last name belted out
loud and proud as a goal call?
“I think that would be pretty cool,” as the big smile reappears on
Jett Woo’s face.
What about that, Mr. Gallo?
“If Jett wants it then, hey, why not. It’s all up to him!”
Indeed…WOO-O-O-O-O!. n