Jazmine Flannery is still learning about hockey, but that isn’t stopping her from teaching younger kids about the sport.
The Grade 10 student is one of about 20 taking part in the Hockey Canada Skills Academy offered at Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School.
She and her peers welcomed a group of Janet-Lynne Durnford’s Grade 5 students from Monsignor Lee Catholic School on Friday for a morning of floorball. It’s like ball hockey, but players use lightweight sticks with sharply curved blades and a plastic ball with holes in it.
“It helps with practising and stickhandling,” said Flannery, 15, who plays hockey with the Orillia Hawks. “It teaches you that there’s more to hockey than playing on the ice.”
The program requires students to take on leadership roles. Planning Friday’s training sessions for the younger students was part of that.
“Not all of them know how to play hockey, so you have to teach them,” said Kaiden Robitaille, 14, who plays minor hockey in Orillia.
He was happy to help. After all, floorball has helped his performance on the ice, too.
“I’ve built a lot more confidence in my game. I realize I’m good enough to play,” he said.
Jeff Hopkins is a teacher at Patrick Fogarty and facilitator of its Hockey Canada Skills Academy. He is pleased with the results.
“This class has shown exceptional leadership qualities on and off the ice,” he said. “Part of the program is to fuel community involvement and create leaders in the community, and today they’re doing a great job of that.”
Floorball, he said, is “a great way to teach the sport of hockey in a more accessible and affordable way.”
The program is open to Orillia and area students in grades 9 and 10. Participants get to hit the ice at Rotary Place twice a week and get in some time in the gym at Peak Performance. They also earn two credits. More information can be found here.
Hopkins will be on hand for Patrick Fogarty’s parent information night Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. and he will be able to provide details then, too.
