Team social media coordinator, Katie Campbell caught up with former Merritt Centennials player Brandon Campos in a “Where are they now” interview:
You obviously started your BCHL with the Centennials back in the 2004/05 season,
played two seasons with the team before making the jump to the WHL, what was the biggest difference between the two leagues?: The biggest difference I found was the structure of the game. The WHL was alot more defensive whereas I found the BCHL more wide open. Another big difference was just the production of the games… it felt like a bigger stage.
What’s your favourite memory from playing with the Cents?: Honestly there are so many. I had tremendous billets and they were a huge part of my time with the Cents but if I have to pick one memory from it then it would have been my first playoff series during my rookie year against Salmon Arm. I loved the rink in Merritt cause it felt like a barn where we definitely had the advantage cause we had played in it all the time. But that playoff series was great as I got to see it packed and loud – just gives me goosebumps thinking about that.
After the WHL, you played a couple seasons of college hockey, what was your favourite part about that?: My favorite part would have been to have the ability to play high level hockey close to home while getting my education. UBC is a great school and I am glad I chose to go there.
Thing you miss the most about Merritt or the organization?: I miss the city, my old billets, showing up to the rink everyday. Merritt was a huge part of my life and I will never forget that city. Whenever I come back or drive through Merritt it brings up alot of great memories.
What are you doing now?: I am a sales rep for CCM now. I have been doing it for 5 years ever since I stopped playing in Europe.
You were in the new Nike Canada hockey commercial, what was that like?: It
was an awesome experience. The city of Vancouver has alot of shows, commercials and movies filmed there so I was pretty lucky to have had the chance to audition for Nike. Whenever you go to an audition for commercials you never know what company it is for
until you land it and when I landed it I was ecstatic. We were on the ice for 10 hours that day so it definitely wasn’t easy.
What advice would you give junior hockey players that want to move up with either College hockey or even the NHL?: I have been given alot of advice throughout my career but one piece that
always stuck in my mind was: “Play every shift like it could be your last because you never know if you will get this opportunity again” – Playing junior hockey is something not alot of people will get to experience so I never took playing hockey for granted.
