Canada’s newest residents got a lesson in its favourite game at the Lignite Miners Centre on Friday when members of the CanElson Drilling Estevan Bruins led them through an introductory hockey workshop.
“We had a Learn to Skate (event) in November and it was so fun for the newcomers here that they really wanted to actually learn how to play hockey and understand the game more,” said Jhaldair Roye, information services advisor for Southeast Newcomer Services (SNS). “When you come and you watch the game you feel excited, but we actually wanted them to experience it physically.”
Around 20 new skaters headed onto the ice during the hour-and-a-half workshop with the participating Bruins who acted as hockey and skating teachers at the event. Most of the newest hockey stars were able to take part thanks to a Bruins and SNS skate drive in November that netted dozens of free skates being used in the practice.
“It’s an activity coming to a new country just to learn their sport,” said Fabian Dennis, as he watched his kids Darian and Dabrelle shoot pucks into an open cage with the help of Bruins’ Kaelan Holt and Robby McClellan. “We’re from Jamaica. We don’t play hockey. It’s really hot there, so we’re just participating and getting the kids out.”
McClellan said they’re on the ice at the workshop to try and give something back to the community and the fans that support them. He said they had a lot of fun running the practice, so the hope is they can keep doing these workshops in the future.
“Most of the sticks are from the Estevan Bruins and there are quite a few individuals who brought their own as well,” said Roye. “We still have some (people) who are not necessarily at the stage to be playing hockey, but they still wanted to come out and have fun and just enjoy the activity.”
