Young hockey players were given their first taste of tournament action at the Bonnyville Minor Hockey Association's (BMHA) initiation event.
Teams from Bonnyville, Cold Lake, Lac La Biche, and St. Paul came together for the tournament at the Bonnyville and District Centennial Centre on Saturday, Feb. 3.
“This is all about fun. There's no score kept. They're still encouraged to try hard and play hard, but winning isn't in the equation right now. I think they like being with their teammates all day, and they like the tournament atmosphere,” initiation director Krystian Ference.
On the ice, new equipment purchased by BMHA made the event the first of its kind in the Lakeland. Thanks to the Shrink the Rink initiative, every player had a good chance to get a feel for the puck.
“We've just purchased boards that give us the ability to split the rink in half, and make it more size appropriate for the little kids. This gives the kids more puck touches and allows them to be more involved in the game, as opposed to having two strong skaters dominate the game,” detailed Ference.
With less space to travel and more proportionate net sizes, coaches can focus on developing a wider-range of skills.
The players barely noticed they were playing on a smaller surface. They were too busy enjoying the event with their teammates.
Still, the benefit of the boards was evident, as each player grabbed a few minutes in the spotlight after big plays.
Though their points didn't count on the scoreboard, players were definitely keeping track of how many times they put the puck in the net.
“I scored five goals,” exclaimed BMHA Pontiacs player Odessa Cardinal.
Her teammate, Cooper Ference, experienced similar success.
“I scored five too,” he noted.
Competitors knew this was the first time they would be spending the entire day performing in front of friends and family.
None of the players could hide their excitement, whether they were on the ice, or chasing teammates around the Centennial Centre in full gear between games.
“I had so much fun. This was so awesome. Being with my team all day felt great. I just love playing hockey,” expressed Cardinal.
According to Ference, parents should get used to seeing their children play on a smaller surface. In just two-years time, players from the novice age level and under across the country could be utilizing Shrink the Rink boards.
If the BMHA initiation tournament was any indication, young players are going to have no problem adjusting to a smaller rink.
“In two-years, Hockey Canada is going to make this mandatory for novice kids. That's why BMHA purchased these boards. They're going to be utilized a lot moving forward,” explained Ference. “When you have a giant rink with a kid that can't skate, he doesn't touch the puck very often.”
