Close to 30 teams registered for day two of the 'YMCA Road Hockey Spring Classic" Saturday, in support of the YMCA'S Strong Kids Campaign. The tournament, held under the arch at Lee Park, was a twist to the former Monster Pond Hockey Tournament.
Dave Nadeau has been coaching the North Bay North Stars Special Needs Hockey Team for the past eight years. The team was invited to play in the 3-on-3 fundraising event. Nadeau also extended the invitation to members of the PADDLE program (Providing Adults with Developmental Disabilities Lifelong Experiences).
"They're playing hockey for the first time and they've never been in this kind of tournament because they're not accessible to it. So we're really pleased and thankful to Dan and the YMCA for doing this for us," said Nadeau."
The hockey coach was able to recruit enough players to make up four teams, comprised of 4 to 6 players.
Jordan Hamelin has been playing with the North Stars for six years.He found switching out his skates for running shoes a bit challenging.
"It's a lot more difficult playing here than it is on ice because you're not gliding, your running." But he said it was worth it. "Just seeing a lots of old friends, making new friends, playing against everyone else and having a good time."
Event chair Dan Selin, together with Moe Bedard , put their skills together and came up with the idea for the road hockey tournament as a way to raise money for the Strong Kids Campaign . The event kicked-off Friday with 250 elementary school students, representing three of the four school boards, hitting the pavement. Selin said 10 to 15 percent of the youngsters had never picked up a hockey stick prior to that day.
St. Joseph-Scollard Hall student, Taeryn Denhercoc logged some of the.40 hours of community volunteer work required for high school graduation, by refereeing both days.
"I'm pumped up. I know what I'm doing, but there's a little bit of stress too. Your decisions impact the game." Denhercoc said it was a fun tournament. "It's great for kids, it helps out the YMCA, it helps out the kids. It's just a great event all-in-all."
Chair of the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign, Dave Saad said there is a lot of competition for charitable dollars in the community, which is why the YMCA spreads its fundraising efforts throughout the year. This year's campaign target is $125,000. He said the hockey tournament brought the 'Y' out into the community.
"But more importantly as a result of the money we generated from this event, some kids will go to camp this summer, some kids will end up with a 'Y' membership, some kids will end up swimming at the 'Y'. Saad when on to say, "It's a matter of generating the dollars to ensure that no family or individual are deprived of participating at the 'Y' because of financial means."
Organizers said it generally takes three years for an event like this to work the bugs out, but Selin said this tournament has proven to be successful right out of the gate. He said they have the infrastructure, the interest and the corporate dollars. The hard work is done.
"Usually we get a little traction in the second year and in the third year it's functioning the way you want it, bringing in the dollars, and the satisfaction, and the kids and adults as participants. But we've hit it in the first year. So as long as the 'Y's' going to want to keep this going, this is going to be a staple product for North Bay."
Next year, participating elementary schools will be asked to sing the national anthem in both official languages at the start of the tournament. Selin said it will "kick off that old Canadian DNA hockey feeling."
