He was the last line of defense for the Drumheller Dragons and the club's most popular player among the fans for two years running and the accolades keep coming for Curtis Skip.

 

The 22 year old has just been named Male Athlete of the Year by the University of Alberta Augustana Campus as well as the Vikings' Most Valuable Player this season.

 

"There's a lot of positives and a lot of things that are a little bit tougher," he confessed. "You've got to keep your grades up and living on your own took an adjustment. I had the best billets in Drumheller in Shawna and Joe Castonguay, but you've got to keep that balance of staying in the gym and on the ice, and also in the library doing work and in the classroom."

 

The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) hockey season is only 28 games long, compared to 60 for Junior A, so that helps.

 

"Every game matters that much more, then," he countered. "That first year takes a lot of time to balance between school and hockey, but once you find it you kind of get in a rhythm and just go with it."

 

Skip, who was raised in Grande Prairie, still has three seasons with the Vikings as part of a five year program, but he's looking to the future.

 

"I want to get into teaching when I'm done, but if pro hockey is an option I'll definitley consider it," he told 99.5 Drum FM. "I'm just kind of taking the time, now, to focus on school and get that done. I know I want to be a teacher one day and pursue that, but I've still got three years left so I'm just going to enjoy it here and figure it out when it's done."