_{Jedd Soleway. Photo: Roger Tepper, Edge Photography}After playing minor hockey in West Vancouver and Vernon in alternate seasons and a year with the Okanagan Rockets, Jedd Soleway has settled into playing at home with the Vipers.

Jedd was born in West Van where he played at the Hollyburn club until age eight. Then he played four years in Vernon before spending the first year of Bantam on the Coast. He returned to Vernon for second year Bantam and first year Midget. Last year, he toiled for the Major Midget Rockets, collecting 16 goals and 17 assists in 40 games.

This year, he's delighted to be at home playing for the Vipers: "It's great. Playing in your home town makes things a lot easier; I want to do well in school this year and being comfortable at home gives me a better chance of meeting that goal."

Although courted heavily by the WHL, Jedd has chosen the college route. "It's a tough choice to make, but a quality organization like the Vipers makes that choice easier."

Jedd's father Jay went the WHL route with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Drafted by the Calgary Flames. Soleway senior played in the AHL for the Birmingham Bulls before returning to suit up with the UBC Thunderbirds. He had intended to resume his pro career but knee injuries sidelined him. True to his Norwegian ancestry, Jay Soleway then joined the family fishing business and now operates a commercial fishery with his boat, Alaska Queen II, out of Steveston.

Jedd and his older brothers Riley, 21, and Jake, 19, do not intend to become fishermen. Both are at university. Riley plays intramural hockey at UBC Okanagan while Jake, the biggest of the three at 6'2" and 300 pounds, plays varsity rugby at UBC Vancouver.

Jedd's pretty big himself, at 6'2", 205 pounds. He uses that size to advantage, administering crunching body checks and shielding the puck in close quarters.

He likes physical play: "I wasn't very big until I was about 15, when I started to grow. In first year Midget, I started to get serious about the game and I hit the gym hard, two to three hours a day. The game got easier as I grew and got stronger – I started to notice that when I hit someone he would fall over and guys who checked me would bounce off."

With the Vipers he has alternated between centre and right wing. He says that he's "more comfortable with centre because that's where I've played pretty well my whole life. But I'll gladly play the wing if that means more ice time and a chance to help the team."

One of his strengths as a centre man is his ability to win faceoffs. "Working hard on draws is something my dad has told me to focus on. It's often the key to having a good shift."

Competition at centre position is fierce on the Vipers, who have eight natural centres on the roster, but if Jedd Soleway wins his fair share of draws and plays strong defence, he will make a compelling case for lining up at his favoured position.