Kids experience hockey for first time on Hockey Day

By Brian Kalisher –

FARMINGTON HILLS – The Warrior Hockey Day in Michigan celebration not only gave people living in the Mitten a chance to enjoy the game they love, it also provided quality learning opportunities for youngsters taking their first steps on the ice.

Like many other rinks across the state, Suburban Ice – Farmington Hills gave kids the opportunity to come try out hockey for free on Feb. 18.  Although there were plenty of children that had strapped on hockey gear before, there were also those who were experiencing the game for the first time.

“I thought the clinic was great, we had lots of new hockey players out on the ice trying it for the first time,” said Geoff Bennetts, Suburban Ice general manager and one of the on-ice instructors for the event.  “They come on the ice a little unsure and didn’t know what to expect but by the end of the session their smiling, they all got to score some goals, boys and girls, it was a success.”

Anyone familiar with hockey knows just how expensive the sport can be between equipment, ice time and league fees.  A valuable aspect of this free clinic was that it provided newcomers with a chance to experience the game, feel it out, and decide whether to pursue the sport without shelling out hundreds of dollars in the process.  For the staff at Suburban, the chance to introduce kids to the game was a rewarding experience.

“Absolutely, there’s no question that giving the kids the opportunity to try the game for free in this type of clinic,” said Bennetts, a Wixom native who played college hockey at Ferris State. “A lot of these players have not had hockey in their families, so this is something brand new to them. Most kids, if they’ve started the game already, they have some hockey in their family background somewhere, but most of these kids have never tried it before.

“Some have started with learn-to-skate programs, but for the most part these kids are new to the game. It’s a great opportunity for them to try it with no investment in it at all.  As we know with the great game of hockey, once you try it and you get a taste of it, you’re going to be hooked.”

Plenty of proud parents were on hand to watch their kids skate, including Adam Breitbach, whose daughter hit the ice for the first time during the Warrior Hockey Day in Michigan event at Suburban.

“We’ve decided to start some ice skating lessons with her though Eddie Edgar [Arena] and she really enjoys that and has picked up on it,” Breitbach said.  “I play hockey over here and asked her if she wanted to play and she said ‘yeah, let’s give it a try.’”

Breitbach agrees that the free clinic is beneficial for children trying out the game and that it may encourage his daughter to play more in the future.

“I think it’s a really good experience for the kids because it really exposes them to hockey at an early age and kind of gets them excited about it,” Breitbach said.  “You don’t really get many opportunities as a kid to play hockey, especially with the winter that we’ve had this year and the outdoor hockey.  It’s a great chance for them to come out and learn to play the game and kind of experience it for the first time.”

While there were plenty of kids at the clinic learning basic skills, some families felt it was a good time to dust off the pads and get back on the ice after a long hiatus.

Eric Schwartz’s daughter played hockey for about a year before taking this past year off.  For the Schwartz family, this was a chance to get back into the game.

“We just started getting back into skating again,” Schwartz said.  “This a great opportunity for her to come out and, again, learn to skate and try it again to see if she’s going to like it.  She’s having a great time, big smile on her face.  She’s actually loving it out there.

“She was so excited to come out, and started pulling her equipment out again and her eyes lit up starting to play hockey again, she’s real happy.”

For future ‘Try Hockey for Free’ clinics at Suburban, keep an eye on their website.