The Yorkton Terriers' franchise leader in shutouts is continuing his career at the Canadian College level. Lynden Sammartino has committed to the Southern Alberta Institute of Technolgy (SAIT) for the upcoming season. "Sammy's" back home in Surrey, B.C. for the summer working in construction, and he took some time to talk this afternoon.
CS: Lynden, you and I talked at the Terriers' year-end banquet, and you said you were talking to some schools and some pro teams at the time, and obviously you felt SAIT was the best fit, and they felt the same about you.
Sammartino: Yeah, I was talking to the coach, Ken Babey for awhile, and I've heard a lot of great things about the school from Blake McCullogh, a former Terrier, and it seemed like the right fit for me for what I'd like to go into as a career in the future, I'm going into welding. They're coming off of winning a championship, so it's a good winning program.
CS: You mentioned you know Blake McCullogh, is there anyone else?
LS: Yeah, there's a guy coming from my old Junior 'B' team from B.C., Clayton Goodall, he just finished a career in the AJHL, and it'd be nice to be re-united with him. And I also heard Chris Shudo, from Melville (also from Surrey) might be going to SAIT also.
CS: And a guy going to NAIT, your counterpart in Edmonton is your old Terrier captain Jordan Pawelec. I'm wondering if the beaking's already started back and forth.
LS: Oh yeah it has of course. (laughs) I talk to "Pawly" about everyday, it'll be a little weird playing against him but it should be fun. I told him I'd meet him at centre ice.
CS: Brings back the Yorkton/Melville rivalry from when he was there hey?
LS: Yeah it does, which is weird, but we're looking forward to it.
CS: Do you know what to expect as far as playing time? I noticed there are three goalies from last year's roster. Do you know where you fit in?
LS: Well it sounds like it's pretty much up to me where I end up in the roster, if I'm just practicing or starting, or backing up. So I just have to go in there and have a good camp.
CS: You and I exchange emails before we spoke and you said you're really missing Yorkton.
LS: Oh yeah, I miss it so much. I love the town, love the people, everyone was so great to me. I'm sure I'll be back in Yorkton soon, who knows I might just start up a goalie school. But I can't stay away from Yorkton for too long.
CS: As far as SAIT goes, for those who don't know, what conference is it in and what teams will you play.
LS: It's in the ACAC in Alberta. Some other schools are Mount Royal, NAIT, mainly technology schools for people looking at trades and things like that, so, kind of a different style of university.
CS: When do you head down there?
LS: I'm supposed to meet with the coach pretty soon, and discus when I'll be coming out and where I'll be staying. The first semester starts around September 10th.
CS: You mentioned you're looking at welding. Has that always been an interest?
LS: Yeah it has. It's always intrigued me. I took a couple classes in high school with welding, and I really enjoyed it, and I was pretty good at it, so I figured I might as well go into something like that.
CS: Before I let you go we should talk about your Terrier days, we've talked about memories before, but when you became a Terrier you were a backup, you went to the RBC, then you started for two years and were named to the All-Star team in your last year, so a lot of memories to pick from I'm sure.
LS: Oh yeah, everything in Yorkton, the whole three years were amazing. Going to the RBC, I can't even describe that, it was great experience, it's too bad we didn't win, but it was great. Winning the SJHL Championship that year was great too. One of the best things was rooming with Kyle Block. We pretty much became brothers, and we still talk almost everyday. And all the teammates I played with through the three years there, and all the fans and friends I made in Yorkton, I'll never forget any of it.
CS: So your saying you'll listen to the radio online and follow the league website as to how the guys are doing?
LS: Oh yeah, I'll listen on the radio all the time on GX, and I'm on the internet every now and then to see what's happening in Yorkton. I'll be staying in touch with a lot of people out there I haven't talked to in a while. It's nice getting back to the people out there.
CS: Lynden, you and I talked at the Terriers' year-end banquet, and you said you were talking to some schools and some pro teams at the time, and obviously you felt SAIT was the best fit, and they felt the same about you.
Sammartino: Yeah, I was talking to the coach, Ken Babey for awhile, and I've heard a lot of great things about the school from Blake McCullogh, a former Terrier, and it seemed like the right fit for me for what I'd like to go into as a career in the future, I'm going into welding. They're coming off of winning a championship, so it's a good winning program.
CS: You mentioned you know Blake McCullogh, is there anyone else?
LS: Yeah, there's a guy coming from my old Junior 'B' team from B.C., Clayton Goodall, he just finished a career in the AJHL, and it'd be nice to be re-united with him. And I also heard Chris Shudo, from Melville (also from Surrey) might be going to SAIT also.
CS: And a guy going to NAIT, your counterpart in Edmonton is your old Terrier captain Jordan Pawelec. I'm wondering if the beaking's already started back and forth.
LS: Oh yeah it has of course. (laughs) I talk to "Pawly" about everyday, it'll be a little weird playing against him but it should be fun. I told him I'd meet him at centre ice.
CS: Brings back the Yorkton/Melville rivalry from when he was there hey?
LS: Yeah it does, which is weird, but we're looking forward to it.
CS: Do you know what to expect as far as playing time? I noticed there are three goalies from last year's roster. Do you know where you fit in?
LS: Well it sounds like it's pretty much up to me where I end up in the roster, if I'm just practicing or starting, or backing up. So I just have to go in there and have a good camp.
CS: You and I exchange emails before we spoke and you said you're really missing Yorkton.
LS: Oh yeah, I miss it so much. I love the town, love the people, everyone was so great to me. I'm sure I'll be back in Yorkton soon, who knows I might just start up a goalie school. But I can't stay away from Yorkton for too long.
CS: As far as SAIT goes, for those who don't know, what conference is it in and what teams will you play.
LS: It's in the ACAC in Alberta. Some other schools are Mount Royal, NAIT, mainly technology schools for people looking at trades and things like that, so, kind of a different style of university.
CS: When do you head down there?
LS: I'm supposed to meet with the coach pretty soon, and discus when I'll be coming out and where I'll be staying. The first semester starts around September 10th.
CS: You mentioned you're looking at welding. Has that always been an interest?
LS: Yeah it has. It's always intrigued me. I took a couple classes in high school with welding, and I really enjoyed it, and I was pretty good at it, so I figured I might as well go into something like that.
CS: Before I let you go we should talk about your Terrier days, we've talked about memories before, but when you became a Terrier you were a backup, you went to the RBC, then you started for two years and were named to the All-Star team in your last year, so a lot of memories to pick from I'm sure.
LS: Oh yeah, everything in Yorkton, the whole three years were amazing. Going to the RBC, I can't even describe that, it was great experience, it's too bad we didn't win, but it was great. Winning the SJHL Championship that year was great too. One of the best things was rooming with Kyle Block. We pretty much became brothers, and we still talk almost everyday. And all the teammates I played with through the three years there, and all the fans and friends I made in Yorkton, I'll never forget any of it.
CS: So your saying you'll listen to the radio online and follow the league website as to how the guys are doing?
LS: Oh yeah, I'll listen on the radio all the time on GX, and I'm on the internet every now and then to see what's happening in Yorkton. I'll be staying in touch with a lot of people out there I haven't talked to in a while. It's nice getting back to the people out there.
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