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Garth Brooks hosts hockey camp amidst marathon performance schedule

Jun 12, 2016 | 9:48 AM

Playing six sold-out shows in four days apparently isn’t enough for Garth Brooks.

Between two pairs of back-to-back performances at Sasktel Centre, the country music superstar took time to host a hockey camp for 100 boys and girls at Henk Ruys Soccer Centre in Saskatoon.

So-called Teammates ProCamps are a part of every stop on Brooks’ world tour. Saturday’s event was joined by home-grown NHL alumni Kelly Chase and Curtis Leschyshyn.

“Kelly was talking the other day about Gordie Howe, and how we as a younger generation of players learned from him and how he gave back to the community, and that’s essentially what we do now,” Leschyshyn said.

The event collected participants aged 9-13 from Saskatoon Boys and Girls Clubs, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, and Dream Brokers.

Brooks said the ProCamps are about imparting the values of sport and of life — respect, discipline, and courage.

“I think that’s what our job is here is to just love ’em, hug ’em up, and make sure that they understand they must love one another,” Brooks said.

“Garth does a phenomenal job of taking care of the people that work with him and the matching of the money,” Chase said, “and 100 percent — 100 percent — goes to the kids.”

The sixth and final Garth Brooks performance in Saskatoon starts at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

With files from Wray Morrison

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