For some students, trading pencils and books for sticks and pucks may sound too good to be true.
But in Flin Flon, a new program has been doing just that.
The new Hockey Canada Skills Academy is now up and running at the Whitney Forum. The program replaces about half of participating students’ phys-ed classes with on-ice training and practices.
Forty-six junior high students from École McIsaac School and Ruth Betts Community School are taking part in the program so far, with more still signing up.
One of the main catalysts behind the project, McIsaac principal Steve Lytwyn, is pleased with how the program has progressed.
“It’s going very well right now. So far, so good,” he said.
“There are some people in there that didn’t know how to skate the first time they went. We’ve got all kinds of groups, we’ve got kids who don’t know how to skate, and kids who have played organized hockey for years and some kids who have only played bunk hockey. We have a wide range.”
Clinics take place at the Whitney Forum for four days during each six-day school cycle. The class is meant to teach on-ice skills and conditioning to participating players.
Lytwyn has heard good feedback from both students and parents since the program started in September.
“The kids are enjoying it,” he said. “These are young kids, like 13 to 14. I know myself, I had trouble getting out of bed at that age to come to school. This starts early and we’ve got kids there who are there and engaged before 8 am.”
While the academy teaches many of the same things some kids learn in minor hockey, Lytwyn said the academy is not meant to compete with minor hockey programs.
“It’s not ‘instead of,’ it’s more like ‘in addition to,’” he said. “For those kids who play hockey, it’s just above and beyond.”
Jerseys and equipment have arrived to support the program. The jerseys, ordered through Hockey Canada, have the name of each student’s school on the back in an effort to foster school pride.
Equipment for some students was purchased after the Flin Flon School Division received a grant through Canadian Tire’s JumpStart program. Through the program, 13 young players were completely outfitted, from helmets to skates.
“There were lots of kids who had some equipment, but not everybody can go out and buy a pair of hockey pants for $100,” said Lytwyn.
Lytwyn hopes the program will keep students interested in school.
“I think it’s a good way to help kids be proud of their school and have a little school pride,” he said. “I would hope that carries over to math class. I’ve talked to a few kids who we’ve had to deal with, and I’ve said to them, ‘If you like the hockey academy, then you have to be a good student, too.’”
The academy will continue on-ice training until around spring break, with off-ice lessons following until May long weekend.
