Cielen-Gough lands with Firebirds
Jacob Cielen-Gough wasn’t feeling any pressure heading into last Saturday’s Ontario Hockey League draft.
“I was confident that with the season I had I would go somewhere, but I wasn’t sure where,” the 16-year-old St. Catharines resident said.
Unlike many of his Niagara North Stars teammates, the Grade 10 student at Sir Winston Churchill wasn’t glued to a TV or computer screen for last Saturday’s proceedings.
“I didn’t really follow it because I went to the gym while it was going on,” he said. “I was playing basketball when I heard that I had been drafted.”
He finally heard the news that he had been drafted in the 15th round (285 overall) by the Flint Firebirds when his father, Stacey Gough, brought a phone outside so Jacob could take a call from one of the scouts with the Firebirds.
“I was really excited when I heard,” said the 5-foot-10, 143-pound right defenceman, who had five goals and 20 points in 32 games this past season.
The reigning Sir Winston Churchill junior boys athlete of the year is already preparing for the Firebirds’ rookie camp.
“I am going to continue doing the same things; working out four or five days a week and get on the ice four or five times a week as well.”
He describes himself as a smooth-skating defenceman who is able to join the rush and play on the defensive side as well.
Cielen-Gough understands he is going to have to keep getting better if he hopes to crack Flint’s lineup.
“I know I am going to have to get bigger, stronger and more physical in the corner battles.”
He would love to play in the OHL.
“It’s great competition and there’s a lot of good players.”
He’s hoping to make a great impression at the team’s rookie camp, but expects to find himself playing next season at Ridley College.
“I want to show them what I can do,” said Cielen-Gough, who suited up with Niagara Rivermen and Southern Tier Admirals before joining the North Stars.
Ridley College appeals to him on a number of fronts.
“It’s a great environment, a great education, you to get to be on the ice every day and you play a lot of games,” he said. “I will get a lot of exposure.”
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