Kids make big strides in First Shift program

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This article was published 27/12/2017 (3087 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s a Sunday night and dozens of kids have hit the ice for an hour of hockey at the Brandon Community Sportsplex.

Sporting their yellow jerseys, sticks in hand, their names written across their dark blue helmets — Jonah, Taylor, Josie, Kaden, Rowan, Hunter, Brooke — each of them is there to try their hand at one of Canada’s favourite pastimes.

“It’s always interesting to see the improvement,” said Glen Parker, the on-ice lead instructor and a Brandon city councillor. “In six times you don’t get to know 45 kids that well, but you get to know some of them and it’s amazing to see some personalities evolve.”

Open to children ages six to 10, First Shift teaches kids the fundamentals of skating and hockey — once a week for six sessions — in the hopes of building their confidence and bringing more children into the sport.

Originally started by Bauer, together with Hockey Canada and local minor hockey associations, the program is now sponsored by Canadian Tire and comes at an affordable price for parents.

Using different games such as Simon Says, tag and soccer, Parker said it almost tricks the kids into learning how to skate.

And for one lump sum, kids not only get six sessions, but a full set of gear, with bags and sticks included.

“The price is non-comparable,” said Jody Strand, who enrolled all three of her kids in First Shift but wasn’t sure if they would like hockey.

But by the end of their six sessions, Strand said she has seen a “massive” improvement in her children’s skating and she has since signed them up for hockey later this winter.

“We really thought that the way that the coaches did the drills for the kids was really good because they just learnt so much week to week.”

Her 10-year-old daughter, Brooke Dinko, was also a fan.

“I liked it because we did different drills and it really taught me how to skate better,” she said, “and also I liked playing the hockey.”

Nikki Dean enrolled her seven-year-old daughter Jessica in First Shift for the first time.

She wasn’t sure if it was something her daughter would enjoy, but Nikki said Jessica “loved it right from the first go.”

“I think it’s just a really good skill for them to have,” she said. “It’s something that they can carry on forever.”

Tristan Lepischak said the program was both affordable and a good way to expose his son, Jonah, 8, to hockey.

“There was never a fight to get him out there,” Lepischak said.

Curtis Storey, one of the on-ice instructors, has been involved with First Shift for three years and said for parents, it gives them a chance to figure out if their kids like the sport.

“It’s a great game to get into because there’s lots of chances to grow, meet people, get friendships, just more than the game of hockey.”

If even one-quarter of the kids who sign up for First Shift go on to play hockey again, that would be great, Storey said.

For Parker, it’s about seeing the smiles and hearing the thank you and goodbyes from the kids which makes it all worthwhile.

“That’s all the reward most of us need, I think.”

» mlee@brandonsun.com

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