Williamson commits to Trenton
Sam Williamson is a classic late bloomer.
The 18-year-old forward was passed over in the Ontario Hockey League draft but never gave up hope of playing junior hockey.
The son of Brock Badgers men’s hockey coach Marty Williamson kept the dream alive by playing two years of midget for his father and was taken by the Barrie Colts in the 2019 OHL U-18 Priority Selection.
Williamson went to camp with the Colts and last season got into seven games with Collingwood of the Ontario Junior Hockey League and four more with the St. Catharines Falcons of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.
Those experiences opened some doors for Williamson who has committed to the Trenton Golden Hawks of the Ontario Junior Hockey League for the 2020/21 season.
“I had a lot of decisions to make but once Trenton gave me a call they gave me a tour and I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity,” Williamson said. “It was such a class organization. We got to see the arena and the billets and it was really cool.”
Williamson, who netted nine goals and 22 points in 32 regular season games for the Niagara North Stars last season before averaging a point per game in 12 post-season contests, is looking forward to the experience.
“It’s a mix of emotions,” he said. “Obviously, it’s my first time moving away so I’ll be a little bit nervous but I think once I get there my billets will make me feel at home and it should be a really exciting time.”
Williamson feels his time in Collingwood and with the Falcons helped him mature quickly.
“Definitely playing a couple of games in junior helped me a lot, especially playing against some 20-year-old guys and some veterans. They help you on and off the ice to show you the way of the game.
“When you are playing against 20-year-olds, they are bigger and stronger and the higher level you get the quicker decisions you have to make.”
Williamson said his father also played a big role in his development.
“Obviously my father was a late bloomer and he kept pushing me that way. I realized if I keep pushing I can make it and I just kind of never stopped believing,” he said. “He’s definitely been a great influence on my hockey career. After games, he would tell me what I was doing right and what I was doing wrong. He definitely helped me fix my game and got me to the next level.”
Marty Williamson sees a lot of himself in his son.
“I was a late bloomer and I always wondered about Sam and if he would follow my path of growing,” he said. “When I played midget, I was the smallest player on the team and when I was 19 I was 6-foot-3 and the game became a lot easier for me and doors got opened for me.”
Marty Williamson said his son’s passion for the game was also a huge factor.
“The main thing for me was he just loved the game,” he said. “Whether he was the best or worst player on the team, he loved to play and as long as you keep that, you’ll be amazed. Sometimes the progression is by osmosis because people go away. People give up and the kid who preservers, doors get opened because that’s the way it works. But the only way you preserve is if you love something.”
Sam Williamson plans to leave for Trenton next month. The team will hold a golf tournament Sept. 20 and then begin practices while waiting to see if the league will be permitted to start. He also plans to take a course on-line from Brock University where he will be majoring in sports management.
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