Wiikwemkoong operating hockey development program for second consecutive season
By Sam Laskaris
WIIKWEMKOONG UNCEDED TERRITORY – Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, for the second straight year, the majority of youth from Wiikwemkoong Minor Hockey are not participating in a league.
But fortunately, they are once again able to continue honing their on-ice skills as the Hockey for Development Program is once again being operated for children from the First Nation located on Manitoulin Island.
The program began on Oct. 22 and will continue until early March 2022.
Lawrence Enosse, the manager of the Wiikwemkoong’s Waasa Naabin Youth Centre, is spearheading the program, as he did this past season.
A total of 135 youth registered for the program. That’s an increase from the 119 individuals who were signed up for the 2020-21 season.
“We were surprised with the numbers,” Enosse said. “We even had a lot of kids who sat out last year come out.”
Officials from Wiikwemkoong Minor Hockey announced in August they would not be icing a full slate of squads in the Manitoulin Minor Hockey Association this season.
That’s because COVID-19 vaccines have yet to be approved in this country for those under the age of 12. As a result, local hockey officials were not keen to have their teams travel to other towns, thus potentially exposing local residents and players to others from outside of their community.
Once that announcement was made, Enosse was approached to see if he could once again operate a hockey development program for local youth.
“It was successful last year,” Enosse said. “And everybody is glad to see it back on the ice now.”
This year’s program features five age groupings, starting with the Playground division for those aged three. The program is also running under-7, under-9, under-11, and under-13 categories.
Meanwhile, since those who are 12 and older are eligible for vaccines, the Wiikwemkoong hockey association is icing an under-15 house league squad that is competing against other Northern Ontario Hockey Association clubs.
Also, Wiikwemkoong players at the under-17 level who were interested in playing this season have joined Manitowaning’s minor hockey association.
As for those in the hockey development program, they are starting off by having four weekends of sessions, being on the ice four times per weekend, for instruction led by Jim Emmett, the president, director of hockey operations, and head pro instructor for the Toronto-based Pro Tech Hockey Academy.
Enosse said players will be receiving instruction skills including skating, puck control, shooting and passing throughout the program.
“The kids are touching the puck a lot more,” Enosse said, adding scrimmages during the program featuring 3-on-3 action, on a rink divided into halves. “It’s a lot faster playing in a smaller area, 3-on-3.”
Enosse added even parents who were not keen to see their children on a smaller ice surface after they had played full-ice hockey before have been converted.
“It was a big transition for them as well since they were used to the full ice,” he said.
Like last year, the hockey development program will include a December tourney.
“We’ll have a Christmas tournament again just to keep some excitement going for the kids,” Enosse said.
The 2020-21 program ran until the March Break. But Enosse said this year’s program will conclude in the first week of March.
Enosse said that will give some time to Wiikwemkoong officials to prepare should they choose to enter local squads into the Little NHL tournament.
Officials from that event have announced they plan to stage the 2022 tourney from Mar. 13-17 in Mississauga.