Vernon, BC: JoJo Tanaka-Campbell, a smooth skating centre from Mill Bay, BC has committed to the Vipers for next season. Playing at the Shawnigan Lake prep school this past season, JoJo registered 15 goals and 55 assists in 36 games.
He played with a variety of wingers, but primarily with Jacob Fraser (27 goals) and Kaleb McHugh (15 goals). He says, “A lot of my assists came when Jacob would go to the net and I would feed him there.” JoJo believes his best hockey asset is “game sense and vision of the ice. I always look for the best pass option when I have the puck.”
JoJo loves hockey “because it’s a team game. That’s also why I like playing rugby; I like the flow of hockey and rugby and the ability to coordinate with teammates.” That team approach led to his being named captain this year. He says that he enjoys supporting his teammates, “on and off the ice.”
Sometimes, he’s too unselfish, too supportive. He agrees with Shawnigan Lake Coach Kevin Cooper’s assessment that he needs to shoot more when he’s in a scoring area. Shooting the puck is an aspect that he plans to improve in order to round out an accomplished offensive skill set.
According to Kevin Cooper, “JoJo is a leader and a really a smart kid. He has all the tools that a centre needs, but controlling the play is his biggest strength.”
JoJo is really looking forward to this coming season: “When I was a kid at the Cowichan Valley games, I always liked Vernon when they came to play the Capitals, so now it’s exciting to get a chance to play for the Vipers.”
