Peterborough Petes Introduce Free Ball Hockey For More Than 2,000 Local Students
/The Peterborough Petes have launched the Petes Ball Hockey Program for grade 4-6 students in Peterborough and the Kawarthas, providing equipment, training, and support required for the sport for free announced on Friday.
Petes Coordinator, Marketing & Community Engagement Morgan Blaind does the faceoff for players Quinton Pagé and Sam McCue. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.
The program is meant to help the grassroots development of hockey in Peterborough. The Petes want to eliminate all barriers to participation in hockey according to a press release.
A launch assembly will be run by the team for each participating school including the schools’ educator ambassadors, Petes’ business staff and current players.
The students regardless of their background, level of hockey experience or physical and cognitive abilities can participate in the program. The students can also meet Petes players, get an autograph and get their first official hockey photo taken after the assembly. They will also receive an official Petes t-shirt and equipment bag, ball hockey rules guide and a letter from Peterborough-born Chase Stillman in addition to free equipment and time each week to play ball hockey in school as part of one of their school’s teams.
“The Petes Ball Hockey Program is an innovative, systematic approach to eliminating barriers to hockey participation, which will help toward our goal of ensuring everyone in Peterborough and the Kawarthas and beyond, has the chance to enjoy the sport of hockey,” said Burton Lee, Petes executive director of business operations. “Whether it be cost, time, accessibility, knowledge, culture or another factor preventing a kid from trying hockey, we believe the Petes Ball Hockey Program will be a solution.”
The first phase of the program starts with 11 schools including:
St. Paul Catholic Elementary School, Peterborough
St. Paul Catholic Elementary School, Lakefield
Kaawaate East City Public School
Terry Fox Public School
Burnham Public School
St. Anne Catholic Elementary School
Edmison Heights Public School
Bobcaygeon Public School
CR Gummow Public School
Alexandra Public School
Rhema Christian School
