Since competitions are still prohibited indoors, Saint-Louis-de-France Junior Hockey Director Dave Benot had the idea to bring together young hockey players aged 7-8 for a classic winter. Four teams from Shawinigan, Saint-Louis-de-France, Cap de la Madeleine and Trois-Rivier Quest competed against each other throughout the day.
The project was born within a week. Everyone boarded. I looked at all the sanitary rules and this is what we can do
confirms to Saint-Louis-de-France Director Dave Benoit.
If the government does not announce the return of competitions soon, Dave Benoit plans to organize new external meetings in other categories so that all young people, regardless of age, can play hockey every week.
The organizer was also able to count on the participation of coaches such as Eric Lesage, head coach of Barons de Trois-Rivieres in the junior class 2.
Despite the cold feeling on Sunday morning, Eric Lesage said he was happy to encourage his players on the ice, Because at this age, the goal is to have fun
. He admits that the practices allowed within the arenas are not perfect. Young people must wear a mask under their gate if they are less than two meters away. They are also put into teams of two to do the exercises.
On the ice, the reaction was unanimous: the children were very happy to start playing again. Many hockey players such as Mavrik Walfczak, Alix Angers and Maryline Beaumier missed out on their teammates. They said they were there to have fun, not necessarily to win.
It is an initiative that has also appealed to parents. Patricia Dupuy’s son could not stand still on Sunday morning at the thought of going to play a game with his friends.
The kids were happy to put on their beautiful team jerseys to have fun. Everyone was excited despite the cold. It was really a fun moment. Games are what kids love the most
as you say.
In order to respect sanitary measures, children were forced to warm up in cars between games as the community hall and skate shed could not be used.
With information from Jonathan Roberg
Natalie Sinclair is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, accurate reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current events and issues that matter to their communities. Her work highlights timely developments, relevant stories, and practical insights in a professional and reader-friendly manner.