There were goals and tough work along the boards as the Barrie Police Service and about 20 kids played a few games of ball hockey.
It’s part of a provincial program established to develop a better relationship between youth and police. Police teamed up with the Provincial Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (PAVIS) with a clear goal, says Sgt. Valarie Gates.
She says it’s to “basically bridge the gap between these kids and some neighbourhoods within the city.”
PAVIS was launched in 2007 in 15 communities. It’s now grown to 17 and also includes Durham Regional Police, Peel Regional Police, and York Regional Police. The Ontario government has given more than $16 million to PAVIS and in 2011 promised another $15 million over two years to police services and their initiatives like this ball hockey tournament.
There's nothing more Canadian than hockey and to help the kids get their own hockey head, Barrie’s Canadian Tire stores donated sticks, gloves, and helmets for the kids to use – and keep.
And that's good news for 10-year-old Hayden, whose nick-name is Joffrey Lupul after the Maple Leafs player.
“Some people say I'm a sniper,” he says. “I shoot everything on net.”
And the Barrie police have their own superstar too.
“Oh I'm definitely a PK Subban – rough, tough, take no prisoners,” she says.
And for 13-year-old Kiyoshi, this experience is one he won't ever forget.
“It's crazy out there,” he says. “People everywhere you go, and the defence always pokes the puck away from you, and yeah it's crazy but it's really fun.”
And Kiyoshi's grandmother was there to take it all in.
“He said he was going to kick some butt and he did a good job,” says Dawna MacLean.
PAVIS advocates that positive interaction between police and youth makes communities safer.
The tournament finished off with a donated lunch from Wendy's restaurant, and a little hardware to take home.
