Attack prospect has roots in Perth Road

Jeff Green | Apr 15, 2020

Although Corbin Votary is from Napanee, his last name will be familiar to many in Frontenac County. He has deep family roots in the Perth Road region, and his grandparents Allan and Brenda still live there.

Corbin is a goalie, and follows in the tradition of elite goalies from Frontenac County, with NHL player and Olympic medalist Mike Smith being the most prominent, and Los Angeles Kings prospect and former Soo Greyhounds star Matt Villalta, following in Smith's footsteps.

Corbin has played most of his hockey until now in the Quinte Red Devils organization out of Belleville. The Red Devils have won the Ontario Minor Hockey Association championships two years running, and Corbin was recently drafted by the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League.

“Normally he would be going to the Attack's rookie camp in July, trying to earn his way to the full team training camp in August, but the rookie camp has been cancelled due to COVID,” said Corbin's father Larry Votary, “they have invited Corbin to their main camp in August, so he has a shot at making the team.”

The two goalies on the Attack roster from 2019-2020 are both still eligible for the 2020-21 season, but Corbin, with 4 years of eligibility, has a chance to be a key player in future years for the Attack.

“I know I have a low chance to crack the line-up this year, but I am going to prepare for the camp as best I can and will do my best to make it,” Corbin said.

Goalies tend to develop more slowly than other players, so it is pretty rare for a 16-year old goalie to make an OHL team, Corbin added.

If he does not make the team this year, he has quite a few options to consider in the Junior A ranks.

“I will play wherever I have the best chance to progress,” he said.

Ever since he started playing hockey, Corbin wanted to play goal.

“When I was growing up, I remember seeing these goalies on tv, They looked so cool, almost like robots. It brought a spark to me. My dad wanted me to learn the basics by playing other positions, which I did for a while, but I kept on bagging at him about being a goalie until he finally gave in and let me try it. And I haven’t looked back,” he said.

Even though he is still a young goalie, Corbin has already been working with a support team that includes some coaches with stellar records of their own, including Charline Labonte, three-time Olympic gold medal winner with the Canadian women's team.   He even uses a sports psychologist from Montreal.

Luckily, the impact of the COVID lock-down has had minimal impact on Corbin so far. His hockey season was not impacted apart from the cancellation of a post-season tournament, and although he would normally be in the gym four days a week at this time of year, he is working out at home as best he can. 

He has a two-week rest break coming up when he wouldn't be doing anything even under normal circumstances, and then he will start to prepare himself for the training camp in August.

“Of course, we don't know anything right now about whether there will be a camp in August or later than that, but I will be ready for August anyway, even if I have to make do and work out at home with limited equipment all summer.”

He is also able to stay in touch with his coaching team online, even if he can't see them in person.

For now, he is pursuing school online at home, while preparing for a future between the pipes.