David Arduin celebrated his fifth anniversary hosting the Sunshine Coast Hockey School Aug. 18 to 22 at the Gibsons and Area Community Centre.
Arduin, a product of the Sunshine Coast Minor Hockey Association, had a successful junior and NCAA college career and is entering his third year as an assistant coach at Geneseo, the state university of New York.
He has been coming back every summer for the past five years to run the school with the help of former Sunshine Coast players and some of his past teammates. The popularity of the school continues to grow, which was evident by the increased numbers this year.
For the one-week camp, 16 players participated in the novice/atom division, 25 in the second year atom/pee wee division and 32 in the bantam/midget division.
“It’s just incredible — the numbers just keep going up every year, so that means happy customers and it’s good to see.”
The structure of the camp was the same this year as in years past with the two main groups (novice/atom and atom/pee wee) receiving two ice sessions with a dryland activity which consisted of floor hockey, soccer, yoga and hockey specific drills.
The on-ice sessions focused on power skating in the morning with the afternoon sessions comprising a skill structure (passing, shooting and stick handling).
“We mix in some fun with some mini games, some fun drills and give them a good mix of everything,’ Arduin said. “The key is to make sure all of the players are in good shape for their tryouts and prepared for the new season.”
The bantam/midget group had an hour and a half each night on the ice, followed by intense dryland workouts.
“I did the dryland workout with the boys one night and it was pretty killer — I paid for it the next day,” Arduin said. “So I know the boys are working hard, but they are getting a lot out of it too.”
This year’s coaching staff was all from the Sunshine Coast, with Kyle Horsman, who will be suiting up again with the Cowichan Capitals of the BCHL, Kyle Bergh and Therin Hemstalk who just signed their first junior B cards and Robbie McFarland who played with Arduin in midget when the SC Blues went to the provincials.
“It’s nice and I think pretty unique to have a full Sunshine Coast coaching staff,” said Arduin. “I’m glad I could come home again and make this happen with the SCRD. I want to keep coming back and putting this school on. If I can help to improve hockey here on the Sunshine Coast and show these guys that there can be doors opened up through hockey, then I’m glad to do that. I’m blessed and fortunate to be where I am and that’s all because of hockey.”
