Hockey is not only a tradition for many Canadians, it's practically a birthright. But for many, the rite of passage that sees kids lugging equipment bags bigger than they are during pre-dawn practices is out of reach.
"The majority of our kids have never had a chance to play organized sports," said Alison Thibodeau, community co-ordinator at the Aboriginal Choice School. "A lot of them haven't had the chance to learn to skate."
This week, that's all changed for a group of elementary school students with the introduction of the Goals and Dreams Hockey Academy.
Now, each Monday and Wednesday morning, 20 students from Harwin Community and the Aboriginal Choice schools strap on all the necessary equipment to practice skating and shooting at the Kin Centre.
The program, conceived by Harwin principal Nevio Rossi, is made possible through donations designed to provide an opportunity for at-risk youth to build hockey into their lives.
"It's a fabulous opportunity for these kids to participate in something [they couldn't otherwise afford]," said Harwin Aboriginal education worker Patricia Lunden.
Two eight-week sessions allow for two sets of 10 students from each school to participate.
In addition to learning how to skate, stop, handle a hockey stick and shoot pucks, the kids also get off-ice training to learn about sportsmanship.
The program is coached by retired principal Brian Toll, who is assisted by members of the Prince George Spruce Kings.
"The beauty of it is, these kids love to play hockey and it's an opportunity to play where they might not have had one. I truly believe they're making the most of it," said Toll.
Even in the academy's infancy, Toll said he could already see huge improvements and that the on-ice product was a direct result of learning organizational and listening skills off the ice in addition to more than three months of hard work on the part of teachers, administrators and volunteers.
Harwin's community co-ordinator, Marni Alexander, said the program was also about introducing positive recreation and a healthy lifestyles.
"The kids are ecstatic to be here, they're just so pumped," Lunden said.
The kids at the rink on Wednesday certainly proved Lunden right.
"I was always asking my dad [to play hockey] and he says, 'When we get the big cheque,'" said Harwin Grade 5 student Raphael Pierre.
Now Raphael doesn't have to wait to fulfill that wish. And it's a gift that keeps on giving.
"It will be nice to teach my little brother," he said.
Administrators are hoping the program will be sustainable, as children in the school's younger grades are already looking forward to their chance to get on the ice.
And those in the program are also looking forward to future opportunities to be play and be role models.
Bailey Murphy, 12, said he is hoping to play hockey on a high school team next year after leaving Harwin.
"It's a really good privilege to do this," he said.
Aboriginal Choice seventh grader Raeleigh Potskin said she was also looking forward to helping younger kids learn.
Raeleigh, 12, had played hockey before, but was impressed with the skills she was learning - especially from the Spruce Kings players.
"I like the skating and posture they're teaching us," she said.
