Midland Student Front and Centre at ACC

(Reported by Morgan Ian Adams, The Free Press, Midland; photos by Graig Abel Photography)

Zac Secord of the Peewee Predators has big night!

Zachery Secord now knows what it’s like to skate in the big leagues.

Last Tuesday (Nov 13, 2007), Secord had the opportunity to lead the starting lineup of the Toronto Maple Leafs onto the ice of the Air Canada Centre prior to the Leafs’ game against the Montreal Canadians.

He then stood at the blue line with the team during the playing of O Canada.

“I was really nervous (coming onto the ice) because I was afraid I was going to fall,” said the 11-year-old who plays left wing with the AAA Major Peewee North Central Ontario Predators. He’ll be turning 12 in December, and he’s been playing hockey since he was three.

Zachery’s chance to join the Leafs came as a result of McDonald’s In the Lineup with the Toronto Maple Leafs, which provides a unique once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for young hockey players to lead the Leafs onto the ice and stand with the players during the playing of the national anthem. Participants are also provided with game tickets to watch the game after the on-ice stint concludes.

The program was inspired by the sight of young players standing with their heroes during the anthems at the 2006 FIFA World Cup of soccer, and features one randomly-chosen player from Ontario minor hockey associations, born between 1995 and 2000, on the ice of each Leafs’ home game this season.

Zachery's father, Keith, entered his name online.

The only thing? Well, Zachery’s not exactly a Leafs’ fan.

“I like Montreal,” he said, noting his favourite player in the NHL is Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby, and his favourite Hab is forward Saku Koivu.

However, it was cool standing on the ice with all the big names. During the pre-game skate, as he stood at the blue line, Leaf players tapped his shins with their sticks; as they came off the ice, Leaf defenceman Bryan McCabe gave him a pat on the back.

And in the end, his favourite team did win in overtime - 4-3.