Hockey runs in the family for Koy Funk, who has taken to the ice four times as a member of the Portage Terriers this season. Funk hails from Portage la Prairie and is following in the footsteps of his older brother, Reilly, and father, Kelly. Koy says that it's been nice to see the community standing behind him.
"The people I've seen are super excited. It's nice to have a hometown guy here, it's just more of a reason to come out. Hopefully we have some more people come out to our games, get a crowd going," Funk adds. "It's been really nice, kind of being that hometown guy, knowing people around, hopefully sparking some interest in the younger kids in Portage. Maybe they look up and want to be something like us."
Funk started the year in Calgary at the WHL's Hitmen training camp, and says the experience taught him a lot.
"It was good. I got there and was hoping to crack the roster, and as the days went by, I realized how hard the competition was, every day was a grind. First day we got there, we had a really tough bike test and all the off-ice testing. Then we got into camp and made it through there. I had my meeting with coaches, they said 'We'd keep you for practice and see how it goes.' They keep you day by day, you're on your toes a bit, like, you've got to keep going every day. And then played a few pre-season games, they said they're happy with where I'm at, I've got to get quicker, and I'm hoping to develop this year. But yeah, it was definitely an eye-opener to the competition up there."
He says the reaction from the guys in the locker room in Portage was really good.
"I walked in, right away everybody came up, shook my hand and said, 'Great having you. Really excited.' First couple of games, it was a bit of an adjustment. I haven't really played a regular season game in junior hockey, but first game there, another eye-opener, but I've kind of found my feet, adjusted to the pace of play, got going here, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season."
Funk and the Terriers will be back in action on home ice when they take on the Swan Valley Stampeders on October 11. Puck drop will be at 7:30 p.m.