Mitch Woods said this afternoon he’s not going to be able to play for the Komets this year. It’s a combination of a good job opportunity and some other personal considerations. Woods is working as a youth care worker in his hometown of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. The job, he said, entails working with kids who have criminal backgrounds or who have been taken away from bad families.
“It’s anything from breaking up fights to group therapy work,” Woods said. “You try to help them develop social skills or work abilities so they can do something productive with their lives. It’s a good challenge. For some of these kids, this is just a stop on the way, but there are a couple you can make a huge impact on. They haven’t had too many healthy male role models in their lives.”
Woods said the job is the equivalent of going to school for him because it can open other, larger opportunities in the future.
“Coming back to Fort Wayne was a chance to end on my own terms, and unfortunately, that didn’t happen,” Woods said. “I had high hopes for this season, but maybe this is a blessing. You never know when the next punch could lead to a concussion or I could hurt a knee by throwing myself into the boards. I’m trying to put a positive spin on it. It wasn’t an easy decision.”
This possibly opens up a spot for a rookie on the Komets’ forward lines. When Woods came to the Komets in 2007, no one knew who he was. Maybe this will give someone like local product Lincoln Kayleigh Schrock a shot. They are both the same type of player.
