40 kids ages 4-9 experienced “Try Hockey for Free Day” as part of USA Hockey Week Across America on Saturday.
Participants experienced getting on the ice, learning how to skate, getting up after falling, basic skills with a hockey stick and shooting pucks into a hockey net, being guided by the head coach and on-ice helpers.
The head coaches for the event were Erik Triftshauser and with Fred Hamilton, both with more than 30 years of experience. Both started out as GAHA (Genesee Amateur Hockey Association) players, high school players and later GAHA coaches. Their on-ice helpers were Varsity and JV players from the Batavia/Notre Dame United High School team along with the coach’s sons.
The event was hosted by the USA Try Hockey for Free Coordinators, Sharon and Bob Gray and the GAHA Beginner Program Player Coordinator, Marcia Barnes. It is the team’s goal to provide the hockey experience to area youngsters free of charge and to encourage them to enroll in October to become a player in the GAHA Beginner Program which starts the first week of October.
The Beginner Program consists of two sessions (October to December and January to March) with a total of 15 on-ice hours per session. Last year over 75 kids signed up for Beginner Hockey.
For more information on the Beginner Program contact svgray@rochester.rr.com or at 585-344-2248.
