Rec. hockey draws 40 kids

By Ken Johnston
Editor

They say Canadians are born with a hockey gene. However, not everyone can afford to play organized hockey, leaving many kids ‘genetically challenged.’
Rainy River Recreation Director Meghan Shanks realized that there was quite a number of kids that would like to play hockey but for whatever reasons were not playing organized hockey. So she put together a proposal and went to the Rainy River Recreation Board.
She laid out a plan for recreational hockey twice a week for a period of six weeks. At the first two registration dates 35 kids signed up. “I was thrilled with the numbers and since then we have had a few more sign up,” said Shanks last week. They are averaging about 40 kids per night.
Of those playing Rainy River Recreational Hockey (RRRH) Shanks estimates only 30% play in organized hockey. Some of those playing in the RRRH program could barely skate when they started March 3, 2009. By last week, the fourth week of the program, those kids were keeping pace with the more experienced skaters.
Shanks took the list of people signed up and divided them into two teams with equal numbers of kids from each age group. Every Tuesday and Thursday they warm up for 15 minutes then play games against each other with the teams each having three lines. The lines are structured by age from 4-6, 7-10 and 11 and up. “We have kids from four to 16 years of age participating.” They play two minutes and then the scoreboard buzzer sounds and they switch it up.
All the players are fully equipped thanks to a donation from the Fort Frances Metis Office. “I heard they had some equipment to give away and I made an application and were lucky enough to be the recipient of it,” said Shanks.
The cost per player was only $60 versus the hundreds to play in organized and travel to games and tournaments all over.
There is a 70-30 mix of boys to girls and the theme is fun, fun and more fun! Shanks said that the program is so popular they plan to bring it back again next year.
With the high numbers the Rec. Bd. has been able to keep its ice plant up and running several weeks longer than usual. RRRH will run until April 9th at which time the winter activities will end.
Shanks then has soccer on the radar. It will begin on April 28th and run until June 18th. “We have registration for kids coming up and will also be hosting a referee clinic and be hiring refs this year,” said Shanks.