Defenceman Preston Tombs has been reflecting on his Phantoms debut in Sunday night’s win over the Bristol Pitbulls and is excited to see what the future holds as he continues his development as a hockey player.
19-year-old Tombs joined the Wendy’s Peterborough Phantoms on a two-way with the Invicta Dynamos in the summer, having previously worked with Head Coach Ashley Tait with the Berkshire Bees last season.
His chances to step into the Phantoms lineup have been limited due to Invicta’s busy schedule, but Coach Tait has been trying for a number of weeks to get him some invaluable minutes in the team. That chance came on Sunday night, and Preston was pleased with how it went.
“My debut was great – the atmosphere was fantastic, and it was awesome to get the win. I was made to feel really welcome. It was amazing to have the home crowd supporting me. It's always great to feel the energy and support from the fans.” Preston said.
Tombs’ junior career began in his hometown of Guildford, but he’s spent considerable time with Streatham from U15 upwards. He’s iced for both the Blackhawks and Redhawks senior sides and played 21 games for the Bees alongside his Redhawks duties last season.
He’s enjoyed a good start to the season in Invicta, with five assists in seven games, and ticks off his Phantoms debut in the latest milestone of his young career.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue my development in the NIHL and be able to keep learning and growing as a player. Every game is a chance to learn and improve. Playing with new teammates was a great experience, and I'm sure I'll pick up more as I get more appearances.” Preston said.
At 19, Tombs is still a young man, learning the game and taking steps to be the best player he can be. He’s keen to continue that development in order to play as high as he can.
“My goal is to keep learning, working hard, and being the best player I can be. In a couple of years, I'd like to be playing at the highest level I can and continuing to progress my game.” Tombs said.
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