Most Canadian athletes will tell you anytime they get to pull on the maple leaf and represent their country on the international stage, it's an incredible honour.

For 16-year-old Reid Campbell, skating for Canada in the Czech Challenge Cup earlier this month has certainly been the highlight of his young hockey career.

The Haines Junction resident not only had the chance to tour the European countries of Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic. He was also part of the first Canadian squad to win gold in the history of the under-17 hockey tournament.

'It was a really incredible feeling, just hoisting the cup,' said Campbell, in an interview from back home in Haines Junction on Monday. 'I'm pretty excited and honoured that I got the chance to go.'

The Czech Challenge Cup is the most prestigious summer hockey tournament in Europe, based out of Prague. Canada sent two teams to the event this year, one from B.C. and one from Saskatchewan, comprised of the best players under the age of 17 in the respective provinces.

Campbell was invited to join the B.C. Polar Bears while at the Best Ever camp earlier this summer. Fellow Yukoner Adam Henderson was also invited, but declined because of other hockey obligations.

Head coach for the Canadian crew, Don Stoneadge, said he took Campbell based on what he had heard from his coaches in Fort St. John, where the young Yukoner spent last season playing major midget hockey with the Tracker District Flyers.

Stoneadge had never seen Campbell play before, but said it was one of the smartest decisions he made.

'Reid wore the A (assistant captain) for our team and he was one of the go-to guys, no doubt about it. I actually feel like Reid packed this team on his back.

'On the power play, he just thrived. He ran the show.

'He was one of, if not the, best defencemen in the whole tournament.'

It was a tournament which featured a multitude of talent from around the world, but none of which was enough to stop the B.C. squad, which finished the tournament with a perfect 8-0 record the first time any team has ever gone undefeated in the event.

The Polar Bears started off with two exhibition games against Hungary and Slovakia, which they won 5-0 and 8-4, respectively.

Then they broke out in their first game of the round-robin, slaughtering the host Czech Republic 14-3, before taking a squeaker against Poland 3-2 in their second matchup. In the third game, it was 7-0 for Canada over Slovakia, and the Bears finished the round-robin with a 3-2 victory over the U.S.

The semifinals pitted B.C. against powerhouse Russia, where the Canadians would record yet another first. They advanced to the final by handing the Russians their first ever shutout, 2-0.

In what would be considered a dream final for Canadian hockey fans, it was B.C. versus Saskatchewan for the Challenge Cup. And while the prairie team gave a valiant effort, in the end, they were no match for a B.C. team that clearly wanted gold.

'Myself and everyone else involved, we're proud to be Canadian,' said Stoneadge, who has been coaching at the tournament for the past three years. 'I'm very happy to be head coach of this group of talented, elite players.

'They had a dream and they wouldn't let it go. They made it happen for their country.'

The Polar Bears outscored their opponents 31-7 during the tournament and also recorded 40-50 hits per game, proving they were a very physical team that excelled on the forecheck.

'When we got ahead, we protected the lead,' stated Stoneadge. 'When we get up, we're tough to play against. We had a system and the guys bought into the system. We learned how to play without the puck.

'I've been there for three years, so I know what it takes to succeed. Sound, defensive hockey wins games at that level.'

The coach used the game against the Russians as an example of his team's defensive play. Down 2-0, with 1:23 left in the game, Russia pulled their goalie and called a time out.

'Their goal was empty, but our boys weren't even thinking about that,' he said. 'With most teams, the players would be trying to hit the open net. But they knew that two goals was enough to win. We just got the puck and kept it in their end.

'We could all taste it.'

Campbell said the biggest difference between the Europeans and Canadians in the tournament, though, was 'probably more heart,' as well as their physical play.

'Europeans are more about stick handling and finesse. They weren't really used to (all of the body checks).'

Campbell also gave credit to Stoneadge's coaching skills and the pure chemistry of everyone on the B.C. team.

'Our first practice over there, we looked like we were going to suck, because we were all so rusty,' he laughed. 'But we bonded and everything just went from there.'

In order to make the trip to Europe, Campbell embarked on sponsorship and fundraising drives over the summer, including asking for donations while completing a solo ride in the Kluane Chilkat International Bike Relay.

'Everyone from Haines Junction and Whitehorse that helped me get there, I really appreciate it,' he said, sending out a special thanks as well to his billets in Fort St. John.

'Rogers Trucking, they helped me out a lot with the financial aspects. They are the most generous people I've ever met in my life.'

As much as Campbell is grateful for all of the support in getting him to the Challenge Cup, Stoneadge may be even more so. It was hard to get the coach to stop talking about Campbell once he started.

'(Reid Campbell is) my favourite subject,' he said, only half joking. 'What a player. He's just a phenomenal talent.

'He's very focused and he's got great leadership skills. He's going to play at the next level for sure. He's very special.'

In fact, said Stoneadge, in his 30 years of coaching hockey, he has yet to meet a player who sees the ice like Campbell does at such a young age. The coach will only be allowed to take three 17-year-olds to next year's Cup and he's already offered Campbell the captain's job.

'That right there tells you everything I think about Reid.'

The majority of the players on this year's championship-winning crew will be playing either junior A hockey in B.C. and Alberta, or fighting for spots on Western Hockey League rosters this season. Campbell will be returning to Fort St. John to play major midget.

'I can't wait for the season,' said Campbell. 'This year should be good. We'll have more depth, more experience. There's probably only going to be one first year on the team.'

That first-year player could end up being Whitehorse's Drew Pettitt, who will attend the season-opening tournament with the Flyers, after which the final cuts will be made. Haines Junction's Cam MacKinnon and Whitehorse's Neil Chambers will also join Campbell in Fort St. John this year.

Stoneadge is confident junior hockey is in Campbell's future, however.

Listed at just 5'6 on the Flyers' website, size will probably be somewhat of a concern for Campbell and prospective teams when he is ready to make the jump to junior. There's always a chance he will get a bit bigger over the next year, but even if he doesn't, Stoneadge insisted he will be all right.

'His God-given talent will take him to the next level. Size is a big advantage, no doubt. But how many players do you know at his age that take three strides and are in full flight? His skating is amazing. He's always the first one to the puck. And he threw some tremendous body checks (in the Challenge Cup) as well.

'With that talent and that gift, doors will open for him.'

While he runs the midget hockey program in Parksville, on Vancouver Island, Stoneadge will be spending a lot more time this year organizing the Canadian squad for the 2006 Czech Challenge Cup.

And after the success with Campbell, he plans to make more scouting trips to Northern B.C. this time around, in hopes of finding more diamonds in the rough perhaps even more Yukoners.

'I was joking to a friend of mine about it, after seeing Reid play. I said, My God, they haven't got a dozen more like that hiding up there, have they?'' he laughed.