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Royals’ Joe Hicketts ready to show he belongs in red and white

When one sport dominates a country so thoroughly — like rugby in New Zealand, soccer in Brazil, cricket in India and hockey in Canada — failure at the international level simply isn’t an option. Defeat happens, of course, but it isn’t taken lightly.
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Royals blue-liner and Kamloops native Joe Hicketts leads all Western Hockey League defencemen in scoring.

When one sport dominates a country so thoroughly — like rugby in New Zealand, soccer in Brazil, cricket in India and hockey in Canada — failure at the international level simply isn’t an option.

Defeat happens, of course, but it isn’t taken lightly.

“The first goal in this country when it comes to hockey is winning,” said Victoria Royals defenceman Joe Hicketts, who is skating at the Canadian junior team selection camp which opens today at the Mastercard Centre in Toronto as the team gears up for the 2015 world junior championship in Toronto and Montreal.

Royals head coach Dave Lowry, who will assist Canadian head coach Benoit Groulx of the Hull Olympiques at the world juniors, is putting the 29 players through their paces.

Hicketts, who leads all Western Hockey League defencemen in scoring, knows what to expect after having gone through the national team process at the U-17 and U-18 levels.

“In Hockey Canada camps, the first practice is always hard,” said Hicketts.

There is only a truncated amount of time to get national teams ready.

“They want to see your fitness level and whether you are in shape and ready to go from the start,” added Hicketts.

These players are elite and in mid-season trim, but that won’t stop Groulx and his assistants Lowry and Scott Walker of the Guelph Storm from making these players sweat.

“Over 72 games [league play], you can be patient,” noted Lowry.

But not over four pool games against Slovakia, Germany, Finland, the U.S. and a playoff round of a maximum three games.

“You have to make [quick] adjustments,” said Lowry.

Hicketts will be sweating in more than one way. The 10 Canadian defencemen in camp will be cut to eight before the tournament opener against Slovakia on Boxing Day.

“I have to be confident. I believe I am good enough to play,” said Hicketts, who is under pro contract to the Detroit Red Wings.

Having Lowry there with him gives him some comfort.

“The Subway Super Series [where Hicketts played well for the WHL team against the Russian junior selects last month] was a big stepping stone for Joe,” added Lowry.

“He elevated his game. Where does he take it from here?”

Canada has not won the world junior championship since 2009. There will be tremendous pressure to end that five-year drought at home in the two largest hockey markets.

“I flip [the pressure] and say we go in with the underdog role,” said Lowry.