It’s a two out of five chance a Cookstown native will be $10,000 wealthier on Sunday, Nov. 9.
Andrew Faris, a Grade 8 student at Cookstown Central School, will be squaring off with his older brother, Mark, a Barrie-based real estate agent, at the Air Canada Centre for the Source for Sports Shoot Out competition.
Both qualified for the event, sponsored by the Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum, this past summer. The Faris brothers placed among the top five in the “Overall Median Score” division.
“We went down on Labour Day,” Andrew recalls. “I shot eight pucks and hit three targets. Each shot was worth 10 points.”
Participants were evaluated on velocity, accuracy and reaction time.
“You have five seconds to shoot each puck,” Andrew says. “Everyone registers their points for the contest and five median scores were chosen for the shoot out. They called me a couple of weeks after and let me know I qualified for the shoot out on Nov.9.”
He’s grateful for the support he received from his big brother.
“He told me I was capable of winning it and told me what to do,” Andrew says.
The month of October has been an exciting one for Andrew. He’s just finished a term as Student Mayor for the Town of Innisfil and he’s back playing hockey with the Thornton Tigers in the bantam league. Playing centre, Andrew notched three goals in his first three games.
“I’ve been playing hockey since I was seven,” he says.
Years ago, the Faris family acquired a former chicken coop building and moved it to their farm just south of the 3rd Line on County Rd. 27, where they converted it into a sizable outdoor arena for the children.
“We make a rink outside in winter and I use it a lot,” Andrew says.
At school, Andrew says math is his favourite subject. He’s on the school’s cross-country and football teams, too.
Just being one of the five people chosen has netted Andrew several significant rewards already.
He’s received $1,000 in cash – “For now, I’m putting it in my bank account” —two nights accommodation at the Westin Harbour Castle hotel, two general admission passes to the Hockey Hall of Fame, a pair of platinum tickets to the Source for Sports Hockey Hall of Fame Legends Classic hockey game Nov. 9, and a limited edition print of the 2008 inductees to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
For Mark Faris, being with his younger brother at the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors will be a special treat.
“I’ve done quite well in previous competitions,” Mark says. “Whoever, wins, that’s great. If one of us wins, it will be great. I’ve told Andrew just to try and hit the corners of the net. I know Andrew has practiced quite a bit.”
“I’m very proud of these guys,” says mom, Connie. “I’m very excited and we’ll be down there at the Air Canada Centre rooting them on.”
Today's Weather 
Clear and -14°C
Clear and -14°C
Taking his best shot. Andrew Faris of Cookstown hopes he will return home with more than just good memories following the Nov. 9 shootout contest at the Air Canada Centre.
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