The Brooks Bandits are proud to announce that 21 year old Forward Taylor Makin has committed to play at Acadia University, beginning in the fall of 2013. Located in Wolfville, NS the “Axemen” play in the Atlantic University Sport Conference of the CIS under long time Head Coach Darren Burns. The upcoming season will mark the 13th year for Burns as Head Coach of the program in which he has sent his squad to the AUS playoffs 9 times. Coach Burns has also been honoured with the CIS Coach of the Year Award in 2005.
Taylor is from Coleman, AB where he grew up playing minor hockey in the Crowsnest Pass before moving to Lethbrdge to join the “AAA” Athletic Association. Taylor signed with the Bandits in the Summer of 2009 and then made the decision to play in the WHL for the Prince George Cougars. After two successful seasons with the Cougars he was traded to the Vancouver Giants where he played one season under Coach Don Hay. Taylor joined the Bandits early this season and was a key contributor to the regular season and playoff success of the team. He was an alternate assistant captain and helped lead the Bandits to their first ever RBC Cup National Championship.
Makin gave the Bandits a great deal of speed, grit and toughness which was evident throughout the year. In his one season with the Bandits he scored 18 goals, 32 assists for 50 points in 50 games. Taylor’s contribution was instrumental during the Gas Drive Cup Playoffs more than ever as he recorded 16 points in 17 games.
Head Coach/GM Ryan Papaioannou, “Taylor has the qualities that every coach loves to have. He is passionate about the game, plays honestly and always looks out for the team’s interests first. We had plenty of opportunity here for Taylor to develop and his season was incredible. He brought depth to our scoring and a sense of strength to our group. He was well respected by our younger players and looked up to for his experience. As a coach he is the kind of player that will be missed. He makes the people around him work harder and that’s something you really like to have. Taylor will become a big part of the Axemen lineup and will no doubt provide them with the same intangibles we saw here in Brooks.”
The Bandits Organization would like to congratulate Taylor and his Family on his athletic and academic future.
Taylor is the 11th Bandit committed to post secondary hockey joining;
• Patrick Lee (University of Massachusetts)
• Anthony Paskaruk (Clarkson University)
• Corey Scammon (University of Massachusetts Lowell)
• Anthony Petruzzelli (University of Vermont)
• Chris Muscoby (University of Vermont)
• Maddison Smiley (University of Massachusetts)
• Tanner Hicks (Manhattenville College)
• Dakota Mason (Plattsburgh State University)
• RJ Reed (SAIT)
• Cam Maclise (University of New Brunswick)
