Kyle Mifflin is one of Vancouver's best young hockey players. A current member of the Thunderbirds House League, he's been skating since he was three years old. When he's not on the rink, he can be found participating in freestyle snowboarding contests at Cypress Mountain or Whistler Blackcomb.

In addition to his hockey and snowboarding excellence, Mifflin is one of his school's best math students. He's also a noted history buff, with an interest sparked by a documentary showcasing his grandfather's contributions as a bomber pilot during World War II.

Throughout his life, Mifflin says he has needed to make tough choices to balance responsibilities that sometimes conflicted.

"I had to step back from playing rep hockey because I wanted more time for school and snowboarding," he said. "As much as I love playing sports, obviously school is the most important thing."

With a mother from the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Nation and his father from Newfoundland, Mifflin feels he has a distinctly pan-Canadian perspective on the world. He's well known at Point Grey for being a good friend to many of the school's students and he's always happy to meet new people. Though he only met his mother at age 16, he's now grateful for a large extended family of over 200 people.

"You've got to have people to support you, but you also have to motivate yourself," Mifflin says. "Nobody can make your choices for you, so you've got to be really clear about what you want for yourself."