Volunteers help with hockey school
- Details
- Published on Thursday, August 21, 2014
By Hall Sveistrup
Rivers Banner
For the group of people involved, Aug. 4 was not a civic holiday but rather, for the third consecutive year, the first day of a busy five-day RCC Hockey School.
That group was comprised of 69 youngsters (57 boys and 12 girls) and teachers. Instructors were Derek Laxdal, head coach of American Hockey League’s (AHL)Texas Stars; Craig Anderson, physical education teacher at Betty Gibson School; Travis Ramsey, River Heigh’s School’s phys ed instructor; Troy Hickman, phys ed teacher at Linden Lanes School; Bruce Willows (dry land training), retired Rivers Elementary teacher; Brett Willows, goalie for University of Toronto Varsity Blues; Michael St. Croix, forward for AHL’s Hartford Wolfpack; Brendan Kokorudz, AAA midget player drafted by Edmonton Oil Kings; Keaton James, Southwest Cougars AAA midget teammate. The instructional staff was capably assisted by four minor hockey players: Haylee Anderson and Camryn Veitch of Rivers but both members of Hamiota Huskies and Yellowhead Chiefs ladies AAA bantam teams; Riley Lamb, goalkeeper for Rivers/Elton Rage high school hockey team; and Riley Shamray, Yellowhead Chiefs AAA midget team, and who was drafted by Calgary Hitmen in the 2013 Western Hockey League bantam draft.
Participants were divided into three groups: six- to eight-year-olds, nine and 10 years, and a large elite group of 10- to 14-year-olds. Each day each group took part in two 75-minute on-ice sessions, one hour of dryland training and one hour of passing, stick handling and shooting instruction on the cement surface of the curling rink.
Thirty-nine volunteers from Rivers and area ably manned 72 two-hour shifts in a very active canteen. In addition to the daily fare of muffins, hot dogs, French fries, potato wedges and chips, taco salad, chocolate bars and drinks, the canteen featured a menu special each day: chili and a bun, hamburger soup and a bunwich, pulled pork on a bun, cheeseburgers and hamburgers, and for the last day, leftovers. Hockey school co-ordinators Derek Laxdal, Don Marriott and Hall Sveistrup were grateful for the following donations: Don Marriott, Eleanor Madden and Sharon Herndon who prepared six gallons of chili; Perry and Lisa Russell’s 50 pounds of hamburger; Dennis and Maxine Veitch who contributed 12 dozen hamburger patties at half price; Al Pitzel, two cases of wieners; Barb Sveistrup, six dozen buns; and the bakers of fresh delicious muffins: Wendy Wareham, Shawna Tait, Tara Bray, Donna Morken and Carol Bray.
Prior to the inter-squad games on Friday afternoon, all people involved assembled downstairs where co-ordinators Derek and Don expressed their appreciation to the players, instructors, parents, canteen workers and co-ordinators. Draws for several hockey-related prizes were also conducted, with the following winners: Lex Friesen, Brandon, an autographed Jeff Carter (LA Kings) hockey stick; Ethan Church, Brandon, a Memorial Cup autographed mini stick; Dwayne Hunter, Brandon, Jordan Eberle bobblehead; Ben Roulette, Rivers, Taylor Hall bobblehead; William Janz, Rivers, Ryan Smith bobblehead; Carson Mooney, Brandon, Derek Laxdal autographed hockey stick. Other winners received Edmonton Oil Kings T-shirts, backpacks, lunch boxes, caps, toques, water bottles, towels, Memorial Cup programs and hockey tape. Newspaper space and a failing memory prevent the publication of a complete list of winners. A 50/50 draw of $250 was won by Nolan Marriott of MacGregor.
Hockey camp participants hailed from Rivers and area, Pilot Mound, Clearwater, Killarney, Grandview, Hamiota, Shoal Lake, Brandon and Winnipeg; Kelowna and Vancouver, B.C.; Medicine Hat, Alberta; Rolla, North Dakota.
