Offering kids of all levels a chance to play hockey

Strathmore Reporter

 

The Gleichen Pond Hockey program is now well into its second year and registration has gone up from last year. In 2009 there were 13 kids, ranging from ages 4 to 17 in the program and this year to date they have 42 kids taking part. 

“There were always kids that wanted to play, just never enough to field a team,” said Cara Sheppard, coordinator of the program.  

“I’ve known about this pond hockey for a number of years and I thought ‘darn it you know what we’ll do pond hockey and that way we don’t have to worry about actual teams, we just have players.” 

There are dividers put onto the ice, and for the first 45 minutes the kids are learning the skill of the game. For the rest of the time they divide up into teams and play shinny-style hockey. 

“We don’t play anywhere else except for here, unless we want to hook up with other pond hockey programs,” said Sheppard. 

Pond Hockey is no contact at any age; the games are more of a shinny-style and the kids all have to wear full equipment. There are no referees, but there are parental supervisors who have all been screened by the RCMP and there is no travel unless the parents decide to.    

“Kids can come either night, or both nights if they want,” said Sheppard.  

Pond Hockey in Gleichen began at the beginning of November and will go until March. There is no deadline for registration.

“We have a drop-in feature that you can do so you don’t have to pay the full amount or you can pay the full amount you want, or you can do the drop in if you’re not sure that it’s something you want to do if you don’t have the time its just kind of come and go if you want to,” said Sheppard. 

The term ‘Pond Hockey’ usually leads one to believe the game will be played on a frozen pond somewhere, but in Gleichen it takes place at the newly renovated Gleichen arena. 

 “It’s called pond hockey but only because it’s getting back to the grassroots of the fun of playing hockey and that kind of thing,” said Sheppard. 

Sheppard is also the provincial pond hockey committee member for Hockey Alberta and she said there are pond hockey programs all over Alberta. 

Last year Gleichen had hockey day in GA (Gleichen Arena), on the same day as Hockey Day in Canada. This year it will be taking place on February 12, and mainstream hockey players, pond hockey players or kids that may just want to come out to try it are invited to take part. 

“Hockey Alberta has offered what they call a ‘Bring a Friend’ program.,” said Sheppard.  “They cover off the insurance for that kid for the day and then we can get other kids out there playing if they want to do that,” 

It will cost $5 per kid, and they will get to play in three games and have lunch. 

Anyone who would like more information can call Cara Sheppard at 403-734-3515, or email her at shepfarm@xplornet.ca.