October 2003

Cody McCormick Breaks Into Avs Stellar Line-up.

In his first training camp as a pro, Cody McCormick was well aware of the importance of coming to camp in good shape. Drafted 144th overall in the 2001 entry draft, Cody was given a subtle hint by the Colorado Avalanche training staff about being well prepared for training camp. Native hockey.com had the chance to visit with Cody and his father at the Avalanche training camp in Denver this year.

Cody’s father, Chris McCormick, attended the draft with his son in June of 2001. “After the Avalanche had selected Cody, we were invited to their club suite in the arena to meet people in the organization. One of the people we met was a trainer for the team. He told us about how a first round pick from a previous draft was sent home after two days of training camp because he was not in shape”, Chris stated. “We took that as a hint on what the team was looking for when training camp opened”.

Knowing the importance of being prepared for training camp this year, Cody began training three months before training camp was scheduled to open. “Initially, we were going to hire a personal trainer to develop a training program for Cody, and work with him during the summer,” said Chris. “We quickly found out how expensive that was going to be, so Cody took matters into his own hands. Cody developed his own program, and then he had the focus and discipline to stick with it all summer long. He did it on his own”
This was the second trip to Denver for Cody McCormick. Last year he came to Denver for the Avalanche rookie camp. Cody had the highest score in endurance testing at last year’s camp. This year he again scored the highest among rookies in camp. That was something the coaching and training staff took notice of. During scrimmages and drills at camp this year, Cody displayed his strong work ethic and willingness to mix it up with seasoned NHL veterans. All of his hard work was rewarded by the coaching staff when he was suited up for most of the Avalanche preseason games. In a preseason game against the Los Angeles Kings, Cody’s hard work earned him a penalty shot. With a move reminiscent of a seasoned NHL pro, he scored on his chance against Roman Cechmanek.

With the regular season upon us, Cody McCormick is on the opening night roster of the Colorado Avalanche. All of his hard work has paid off. His accomplishments are great for anyone chasing the dream of playing in the NHL, especially a person of Native descent. Cody was asked what it took to get this far in his chasing his hockey dreams. “You have to stay away from the bad stuff, and stay focused on hockey. You need to make the right choices to get this far. There are a lot of guys, who are great hockey player, but they don’t stay focused or they make bad decisions”. Cody continues, “I had it pretty easy compared to some others because the minor hockey in my hometown was good as I was growing up. As I got older, it was easier for me move up to the system, up to major junior hockey”.

Something that became apparent in speaking with Cody and his father was the importance of family support. Cody had strong family support as he made his way up the hockey ranks. He played major junior hockey for the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League, and his parents made weekly trips to see him play. “I don’t know what his mom and I are going to do this winter because we usually planned our weekends around driving two hours to Belleville and staying the weekend for Cody’s games,” remarked Cody’s father, Chris. Taking into consideration that Chris McCormick is the Grand Chief of the Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians (AIAI), and a person with a very busy schedule, this is an example of great dedication and family support.

Cody McCormick has accomplished what many can only dream about. He is a positive role model for kids all across North America, but especially for the young people of Native descent. He is only twenty years old, but his future is bright. A former member of Team Indigenous, Cody is a person that First Nations communities and people can be proud of. Cody and other Native hockey players like him are continually opening the door and showing the way for other young, aspiring Native hockey players to follow.

Nativehockey.com would like to congratulate Cody on his great accomplishments, and also wish Cody the best of luck in his hockey career. We will be watching him with pride.