A look in from opening day of the North Stars Hockey School. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

On the Ice

North Stars Hockey School brings team, community together

Aug 28, 2023 | 4:05 PM

The ice is in the rink, and school is in session for the next generation of young hockey players, at the Battlefords North Stars Annual Hockey School, taking place Monday to Friday this week (Aug. 28 to Sept. 1) at the Access Communications Centre.

Each summer the Stars’ hockey school gives youth in the community a chance to skate with, and learn from, North Stars head coach Brayden Klimosko along with a handful of players from the team they’ll be watching on game nights throughout the coming season.

Among those players who have come back to the community a bit earlier than usual to help out with this year’s Hockey School is forward Ashtyn Shields.

Heading into his second season with the Stars this fall, Shields said it felt good to get back on the ice in his Stars’ jersey, and help out having some fun with the kids.

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“It’s cool that I can come in with the experience this year of an older guy and contribute,” he said. “The community’s everything to us and the support we got last year through our whole run, and even in years prior with the support the team’s gotten in the past, those kids are so important to us and it’s the least we can do to give back.”

Asked if there’s a part of the week he’s most looking forward to, Shields couldn’t help but let out a smile.

“The kids are looking forward to street hockey on Wednesday so I’m looking forward to that with them… and hopefully we don’t take any sticks to the mouth,” he shared with a laugh.

With 166 kids signed up for this week’s hockey school between the boys’ and first-ever girls’ camp, it will be a busy week at the ACC, with on-ice skill development, off-ice ‘dryland’ training, and games for the different age groups.

Lukamus Lehman, a Battlefords local who will join the U18 ranks with the Battlefords AAA Stars this year, was also on the ice Monday helping out, and said having grown up going to North Stars games, and AAA games, it’s a bit surreal to be on the other end of things this summer.

“I was at mostly every game, every practice, every camp that they had,” Lehman said of his North Stars fandom growing up. “As a kid, I used to watch all these games and think I want to do that one day, and now that I’m here doing it it’s a great feeling.”

“Like Ashtyn said, the community really is everything and even [being] with the AAA team, it’s great to have those kids that can cheer you on and dream about being where you are,” he added.

Female Hockey School a hit

For the first time, the Stars are also featuring a female hockey school this week, with members of the local Battlefords Sharks hockey program on hand to help out.

Marketing manager with the Stars, Kennedy Schmidt said with 66 girls registered for this year’s Hockey School, they couldn’t have asked for a better turnout.

“It’s awesome to see so many out for the first-ever female North Stars camp,” Schmidt said. “We didn’t know exactly what to expect [as far as registration numbers], so to have 66 come out is amazing.”

The full North Stars Hockey School schedule can be found at the team’s Facebook page.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1