WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

WHL scholarships continue to pay dividends

Published on November 17, 2007 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


Two-time Academic All-Canadian Ryan Stempfle should be a poster boy for the Western Hockey League's Scholarship Program.

The 25 year-old Pharmacy Student at the University of Alberta is in his fifth and final year of eligibility, and has won two National Championships as a member of the perennial powerhouse Golden Bears.

None of which may have been possible had Stempfle not elected to play in the Western Hockey League when he was younger.

"To be honest, I don't know if I would have been able to go to school, if not for the WHL Scholarships," said the former Saskatoon Blade and Medicine Hat Tiger.

"I look around in my class and see students with $40,000 to $50,000 student loan debts and consider myself pretty lucky," added Stempfle.

Stempfle is one of the current 22 members of the Golden Bears that has his tuition and books paid for by the Western Hockey League. On November 1st the WHL announced that there are 26 students at the University of Alberta on WHL Scholarships.

Roughly 70% of the players in the Canada West Conference are on WHL Scholarships.

That number will likely increase according to Stempfle who suggests with each year's recruiting classes being more cognizant of the options that the WHL provides.

"Clearly the WHL has made an effort in educating their players and their families about the options in School that WHL scholarships provide, because the new guys each season, seem to have a clearer handle on it," added Stempfle who received five years of tuition and books paid for, for the five seasons that he was in the WHL.

"From my end it has been pretty seamless, the WHL has taken care of the bills, there has never been any question about the WHL keeping up their end of their commitment.

Two freshman looking to make a seamless transition to CIS hockey are Golden Bears Eric Hunter and Derek Ryan. Each player has interesting story to tell.

Hunter a New York Rangers' draft choice who scored 40 goals as a 19 year-old with the Prince George Cougars, attended the Rangers' AHL affiliate Hartford Wolfpack's camp this fall.

Caught in a numbers crunch Hunter was assigned to the East Coast League, but opted to play CIS hockey.

"The Rangers were happy with my decision, they respected the fact that I elected to make use of the WHL Scholarships and pursue the academic route," said Hunter who played five seasons in Prince George.

"I heard a lot of positives about CIS hockey, and Alberta seemed like the right fit. I look on our bench each night and see some of the best players that I played against in the WHL, it speaks volumes about both our team and how many guys are now making use of the WHL Scholarships," added Hunter who leads the Canada West in scoring with 14 points in eight games heading into November.

Ryan, is an American from Spokane who spent three full seasons and parts of another with the Chiefs.

The former 30 goal scorer would like to follow Stempfle into Pharmacy. Like Hunter, Ryan had the option of pursuing minor pro at the ECHL level but choose to go to school.

"I have always tried to keep school a very important part of my life. And to go to a prestigious school like Alberta was an easy call for me," said Ryan whose tuition is in excess of $10,000 a year because he is considered an International student.

Bears Head Coach Eric Thurston, himself a graduate of the WHL after being an All-Star defenceman with the Victoria Cougars feels the WHL Scholarships are a win-win for the players.

"They have the opportunity to play in what I feel is the best Junior League in Canada by playing in the WHL, and then also have the option of then pursuing academics and hockey afterwards, with the WHL taking care of the tuition and books," said Thurston.

The quality of kids that the WHL produces for the CIS impresses Thurston as well.

"Our WHL graduates illustrate their maturity by their exceptional time management skills. It is not easy to combine a full course load, with four practices and two games a week, but our student-athletes have proven that they not only succeed but that they can prevail," added Thurston.

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Western Hockey League Stories from November 17, 2007


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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