Supplied by the Algoma District School Board…
Algoma District School Board (ADSB) offers a wide range of programming options and extra-curricular activities for our students, including Intermediate students, recognizing that this age group (grades 7 through 10) requires innovative, interactive and personalized instruction and activities to help them remain engaged and connected.
One such program, new to ADSB this year, is the ADSB Hockey Canada Skills Academy (HCSA). This program is helping student athletes learn and improve advanced individual skills and tactics, while developing a lifestyle on and off the ice that emphasizes building character through achieving both athletic and scholastic success.
Sixty-four students are currently enrolled in the program including 11 female students and 53 male students. Of the sixty-four students, 25 are intermediate (grades 7 and 8) and 39 are secondary (grades 9 and 10).
ADSB has put together a roster of highly qualified teachers and community skills experts who are delivering the instruction. Michael Cowan and Sarah Fewchuck are ADSB Hockey Skills Academy Instructors and lead teachers for secondary students. Mark Matier is an instructor and lead for the intermediate program. John Parco and Jeff Toms are providing on ice instruction and Terry Barbeau is the goalie coach. Also on staff is Kyla Faganely (currently on maternity leave) who will be involved in health and wellness in the future. Steve Caruso is the program administrator.
A typical week sees grade 9 and 10 students at Sault Ste Marie’s John Rhodes Community Centre from 8:30am to 11:30am. Secondary students enrolled in the program pair Physical Education (Large Group Activities) and Civics/Careers to earn two credits during the morning of semester one. Fifty hours of on ice time are dedicated to skill development, sixty hours to dryland training which includes fitness training, theory, health and hockey curriculum, and one hundred and ten hours to the careers and civics curriculum focusing on sport and culture. Secondary students return to their home school for the afternoon. Intermediate students enrolled in the program are on the ice twice a week focusing on skill development until April 2019. They are then introduced to off ice training techniques for the remainder of the school year.
Students can be found in their signature black and red Hockey Canada Skills Academy jersey and socks for every on ice session. If a student is injured or for any reason cannot participate on ice or in the gym they attend class at the John Rhodes and work on hockey related curriculum in the classroom.
At Tuesday night’s Committee of the Whole meeting Steve Caruso shared testimonials from parents. One parent wrote that her child is up, dressed and out the door in the morning with no arguments because of his interest in and commitment to the program. Another parent shared that in the past, her child visited the principal’s office with some regularity due in large part to an
ADHD diagnosis. This student is now enjoying success at both the Hockey Canada Skills Academy and his home school intermediate program.
Students also provided feedback, some in person and some in written form and the sentiments were universal. Students love that much of their day is spent in a non-traditional learning environment. They are enjoying the social aspect, meeting new friends as well as working alongside friends from other schools. Above all, they love that they are able to spend time on the ice and doing dryland training and many spoke about seeing improvement already in their hockey skills.
Hockey Canada Skills Academy stresses a non-game, non-competitive approach to their lessons. The focus is on individual skills development and not on scrimmage style play. Students, teachers and coaches all recognize that when the push towards game playing is removed, the playing field is evened out for all.
In choosing class placement for students, the Algoma District School Board took into consideration grade level, gender, and caliber of hockey played. Each class has a balance of males and females, and recreational to competitive players.
Students interested in finding out more about the ADSB’s Hockey Skills Academy are encouraged to speak with their high school guidance counsellor or Program Administrator Steve Caruso at 705-945-7180. This includes students (or parents of students) who may be interested in registering for the 2019/2020 school year.