Four Prince Rupert students who have been playing hockey since they were three years old find themselves quite warm at their second home in the arena at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre.
Not just because of their extensive time there — one of the teenagers said he is at the arena seven days a week, but also the close relationships they have formed with their teammates and coaches, something akin to family.
In their last year playing for the Prince Rupert Minor Hockey Association, they pass the torch on to the next generation.
Jaden Andreesen, Josh Leighton, Jorian Mack and Kadin Melanson, currently in grade 12 at Charles Hay Secondary School, decided to give back to the organization that taught them the sport by volunteering with more juvenile players.
“It’s been really good so far. All the younger guys they kind of look up to you as a mentor,” Jaden said.
He wants to show the kids he is working with what hockey can shape you to be, not only as a player but also as a person.
The four boys have been going to U7, U9, U11 and U13 practices, helping young skaters ranging from four to 12.
“We go out on the ice with the kids and we help them out with everything that they need. If they’re doing drills, we can instruct them on that or if they need help on getting technique, we can correct them and show them how to properly do it,” Jorian said.
Shannon Bahm, a manager for the U11 minor hockey division was approached with the idea to have the older players come out to an U11 practice, she thought, why not give it a shot?
It has been very positive for the young players, she told The Northern View. The four young men can provide feedback and one-on-one support, which has allowed the coaches to do a lot more during the practices.
“It’s a different vibe than their old man coaches,” she said.
“They pick up different things from them. They’re able to talk to them and ask them different questions.”
Charles Hays Secondary School requires students to complete a certain number of hours of community service, Bahm said. However, the student volunteers already had enough hours to meet the obligation and they are still giving up their time.
“These guys have been playing hockey for so long that it’s actually fun for them to pass on their knowledge,” Bahm said.
While this was certainly part of why the teenagers wanted to volunteer, there was more to it for them.
“Personally, I felt that I had the responsibility to kind of give back to the community to the Prince Rupert Minor Hockey Association for all that they’ve done through creating memories and friendships. I just felt that this was a good way to give back to the community,” Jaden said.
Josh said spending time with the kids has brought back positive memories from his childhood and reminded him of all the fun that hockey brought.
All four young men seemed to share a common sentiment: one of the top reasons they love the sport was the friendships they have forged throughout the years.
“It’s like a second family pretty much,” Kaiden said.
“That competitiveness of playing against other teams and travelling around with all my best friends, that was definitely the best part about hockey for me growing up,” Josh said.
While this is their last year in the league, they all intend to continue playing.
“It’s always been that outlet for a lot of us and I can’t really see any of us without the sport,” Jaden said.
“I want it to be there for the rest of my life. It’s always been there. I feel like it would be weird if it weren’t all of a sudden,” Jorian agreed.
While they do not remember older students on the ice with them, they do recall looking up to the older players. They hope next year, once they leave, the upcoming group of graduating players will follow their lead and volunteer as a way of giving back to minor hockey.
