New Tecumseth ice hockey program making the sport more accessible
An ice hockey program in New Tecumseth is making the sport more accessible for everyone.
Ice Elements was started to address a need shown by older children unwilling to start hockey because of the level of their peers and because many can't afford to play.
"I want to give a kid an opportunity to do whatever they want to try, and if they're great at it or not great at it, who cares. They had a chance," says Ice Elements Co-Founder Chris Rapin.
"It's a Godsend. It's awesome. It's really good for the kids, and it's nice to see the kids enjoying themselves," says Ice Elements parent Kate Cournoyea.
The program provides roughly 20-30 hours of ice time between January and March for kids in grades 4-8 for just $150. Rapin says his goal is to try and break down the barriers of Canada's favourite pastime.
"He wanted to experience hockey, and he wanted to play, but hockey is not very affordable for a lot of families, but this program is," says Cournoyea.
Players also get gear and a jersey with their name on it.
"Out of our 40 or so players this year, we've outfitted over 20 of them just with donations from the community," says Rapin.
With some kids playing organized hockey for the first time, players are divided into even groups. Coaches say this prevents players from feeling like they aren't good enough to make a team.
Each team has three lines of ability Line A (Rep), Line B (House League), and Line C (Beginners). Players can play up a level but cannot drop a level. Each A-level player plays net twice during the season.
"People with the same kind of limit to how good they are they can play against each other," says Douglas Sutherland with Ice Elements.
"It's fun. We get to play with people our skill, and you can only score once, so you don't just have one random person on a rampage of scoring," says Ice Elements player Ivan Emarenona.
The school teachers who started the program say kids come from across Simcoe County not just to play a sport but to experience what it's like to be part of a team.
"I like coming and playing with some of my friends and versing my friends," says Ice Elements player Rachel Cochrane.
"It gets me better. I've learned a lot of new tricks since I've been in this league," says Ice Elements player Owen Lefort.
Rapin says the score is irrelevant. He says the priority is focusing on what he believes all youth sports should be about, simply ensuring the kids are sweaty and smiling.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.