Burton 40: Mitchell Detta
Formally, there's no junior development system in Burton Hockey; it is still semi-informal at its core. But if there is someone who apprenticed before gaining entry, and then developed into a reliable player, it's Mitchell Detta.
Mitch is the son of Burton Hockey veteran Karl and grand-nephew of legendary goalie Lyle, making him Burton's only third-generation player. Mitch was just eight years old when Burton Hockey began; not being old enough to play, he was nevertheless present for many sessions in the first few seasons watching his father play. During game play, he was the kid who'd run and grab the ball and throw it back onto the court every time a shot flew over the fence; in between games, he was out on the rink, practicing his moves and waiting for the day when he could play. That day finally came in 2006. He was no longer the little kid chasing after balls in the grass; he was now a tall, lanky, speedy teenager ready for combat. Just 14, he was a work in progress, but his desire to score was evident from the beginning, and he finished his rookie campaign with a solid 105 points. By the time 2009 came around, Mitch had taken another step forward. His PPG went up a full point and his shooting percentage was far higher. With his speed Mitch has developed a real knack for creating breakaways, and capitalises on them more and more as time goes on. At only 17 years old, he's already 13th in all-time scoring. He's been one of the more dependable faces in BUSH during its recent boom period, and looks to be a fixture of years to come as he continues to develop. Anyone with 220-plus games played and 430 points before they reach Grade 12 has to be a lock for the Burton 40, and that's Mitchell Detta.
Previous Burton 40 Articles
Joe Chwachka
Ben de Wit
Karl Detta
Ryan Disterheft
Pat Elischer
Justin Gordon
Tony Hajdu
Joern Hornhardt
Stefan Klopp
K.J. O'Connor
Seamus O'Connor
Nathan Robson
Terryn Stenseth
Patrick Strachan
Troy Waldron
Andrew Watson
