Carter HS student Everett Bailey leading way as first generation of IE prep hockey stars

Before 2016 is over, Rialto youth ice hockey goal tender Everett Bailey will play in tournaments in British Columbia and Dallas as a member of the Anaheim Ducks-affiliated Junior Ducks hockey team. A quick survey showed that Bailey is the only student from the Rialto Unified School District playing hockey at the national level.

Bailey is a 14-year-old freshman at Carter high School who comes from a family with a long history of professional baseball players. His uncle, the late Camilo Carreon played pro baseball for 13-years including earning World Series rings with White Sox and Orioles. Everett’s cousin, Mark Carreon played professional baseball for 19 years. “Everett tried all the sports but he narrowed it down to hockey,” said his mother Rebecca Carreon-Bailey. Everett’s goal is to earn a scholarship and be the goalie at University of Notre Dame.”

His mother says Everett knows about his relatives but is too set on his own goals to think much about it. Every once in a while his ancestry comes alive. For instance, the time Everett and his brother, Blake attended a recent wrestling tournament at Colton High. Everett pointed to jersey #45 on the gym wall. It was that of their uncle Camilo whose No. 45 has been retired by the Colton High administration.

“It was hard making their friends believe that was their uncle’s jersey hanging in the gym. Everett wears No. 45 in honor of his uncle Camilo, who always wore jersey number 45,” said Carreon-Bailey. Along with Ken Hubbs, Camilo Carreon was an inaugural member of the Colton Hall of Fame.

Since ice hockey is not played at any high school in the greater San Bernardino region and only a select group understand the sport, the Bailey family often finds themselves as ambassadors. “Hockey needs to be brought to life. It’s a fast-paced sport. We’re trying to educate them at Carter High School,” said Carreon-Bailey, who played softball and volleyball at Eisenhower HS. Her husband David Bailey swam and played water polo at Ike. She said it was her husband’s love of hockey that got the family hooked.

“Hockey is getting there but it’s not where it should be at the high school level,” said Gary Elliott, who was a goal tender in the Detroit Red Wings organization and is now a pro coach and agent. Elliott said prep hockey is about five years away from emerging on the west coast.

Based on his 36 years employed in pro hockey and seeing thousands of goal tenders, Elliott evaluates Everett Bailey as one of the top 14-year-old goalies in the nation. “He works hard. Gives 100 percent and is consistent,” said Elliot. “The pro’s are already scouting players his age.” Elliott feels that at this stage of development, Bailey is on course for a possible college scholarship. “Yes. He’s that good. Who knows for sure. You can’t project the future for those at his age.” Thus far, young Bailey has played in venues like Staples Center, Honda Center and the University of Notre Dame, before crowds numbering up to 19,000. He won the Jonathan Quick Award in a one-on-one goalie competition at Staples Center.

Carreon-Bailey said her son is already on the radar of scouts looking for prospects for the 18 and under Triple-A Division. She explained that advancing in hockey has been a support process involving the large Carreon family. “When there are tournaments in Phoenix, Dallas, or San Jose, we make it like a family reunion.”

Bailey’s coach on the Junior Ducks, Jeff Noviello considers him the top 14-year-old goalie in the state. “He’ll probably play at the Triple-A level next season and is on pace to play at a pretty high level of hockey,” said Noviello. “Everret is mobile, quick, has good reaction time and does not like to get beat. His future is bright.”

Carreon-Bailey pointed out that their family conducts Everret’s dream of playing hockey like a business. “We told him as long as he takes it serious, we will support and invest in his ambition. If not, we just can’t afford it,” said Carreon-Bailey. “If the time comes when he’s not interested anymore, that is fine, too.” Elliott estimates the Bailey’s have spent about $30,000 on Everett in his three-years of playing hockey. Elliott added that for those without financial resources it is very difficult to advance in youth hockey.

Carreon-Bailey told of prep hockey’s organizational chart that operates outside of the jurisdiction of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), but falls under the guidance of the California Amateur Hockey Association and USA Hockey. Since Carter does not field a hockey team, Everett Bailey is allowed to play at the nearest high school. In his case it’s the Upland Christian Academy club team which competes in the Division 3, Crescent League that includes schools from Bishop Amat, Carlsbad, Chino, Long Beach, Las Vegas, and Palm Springs.

The Bailey family will leave with the Junior Ducks to play at the Dallas Stars from Dec. 8-11 and then will leave for Richmond, B.C. on Christmas Day for the international tourney that runs through New Year’s Eve.