With the weather heating up outside, what better way to beat the heat then to head indoors into the Gibsons and Area Community Centre for the Sunshine Coast Hockey School.
Hockey School will be held Aug. 15 to 19 with the main camp featuring the tyke division with one ice session per day and two ice sessions and dryland training for the novice, atom and peewee divisions. Starting at 5:30 p.m. the bantam, midget and junior hockey players will take to the ice and dryland training in an intense sessions followed by the women's camp at 7 p.m.
David Arduin is back for his third year as head instructor and will be joined by his Geneseo teammate Stefan Decosse and the co-head instructor. Guest coach this year will be Kyle Horsman who will be heading to Trail in September for his first year in the B.C. Hockey League with the Smoke Eaters. Colin De Jersey, who also plays at Geneseo, will also be on hand. He also played three years in the BCHL with the Burnaby Express.
Arduin said the registration numbers are looking good and are up a bit from this point last year, but he's encouraging any players who have been thinking about taking part to get their registrations in.
"I received an overwhelmingly positive response last year and I can't wait to hit the ice this year," Arduin said. "I think the thing that people really appreciate is making sure the kids get something out of it. You get to do it locally, the kids can do this with their friends -the friends that they will be playing with and against come September when they start playing league hockey. And most importantly, I think it gives them someone who they can relate to. I'm open to questions on anything from how do I stop to how to do I qualify to be eligible for NCAA hockey.
"I love it when parents come up to me and ask me questions. It's good to have someone who is there to help. Stefan and I are small-town kids who like to give back, and giving back is the main thing about this camp. It's giving kids something that I never had growing up here, giving something that people can get their money's worth without sacrificing the high level camp or their kids' hockey or learning experience. We'll deliver a top-quality camp and have fun doing it."
You can register on-line at the www.scrd.ca, or in person at the Gibsons and Area Rec Centre. You can also email Arduin at [email protected] with any questions, comments or feedback about the camp.
