Youth in 39 BC communities, including right here in Williams Lake, will get a chance to learn about and try hockey when BC Hockey’s Road to the World Juniors tour rolls into cities across the province.
The tour made a stop at Marie Sharpe elementary in Williams Lake last Friday, where students attended a 45-minute presentation featuring a demonstration of basic hockey skills using floor hockey equipment, and received a donation of two sets of floor hockey equipment with the BC Hockey In Our Schools material.
The school also received the Hockey Canada World Junior Championship educational school program.
The tour kicked off in Smithers on Oct. 1, before making its rounds throughout B.C.
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“BC Hockey Association dignitaries [will be there], local minor hockey players, the new BC Hockey Association mascot Celly and prizes and floor ball equipment,” said Marie Sharpe elementary principal Calvin Dubray prior to the event.
Dubray added BC Hockey will also shoot a quick video with a school banner featuring the students’ message of good luck to this year’s Canadian World Junior team.
Lisa Beare, B.C.’s minister of tourism, arts and culture, who visited the Cariboo in late September to meet with local tourism operators and the tourism association, said she thinks playing hockey is an excellent way for kids to be active, make friends and learn the value of teamwork.
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“Our government is proud to support this tour, which will give kids across B.C. a chance to try this great sport at their schools,” Beare said.
The 2019 World Junior Championships, meanwhile, begin on Boxing Day, in host cities Vancouver and Victoria at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver and at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria.
The gold-medal game will take place on Jan. 5 in Vancouver.
For a list of schools participating in the tour visit www.bchockey.net.