While most Jasperites enjoyed the hot summer weather last week, 27 youth laced up and bundled up for the 13th annual Jasper Skating and Hockey Camp at the arena.
The camp is taught by Gaston Schaeffer, a retired figure skater who has coached for provincial and Olympic teams, and Tom Molloy, a retired hockey coach who wrote the book Hockey Coaching: The ABCs of International Hockey.
Schaeffer, who skated professionally at home in Switzerland, started the camp in 2000 along with his daughter, a figure skater, and his son, a hockey player.
鈥淭he idea of the camp is to give kids in the north an opportunity,鈥� he said, and it鈥檚 also about teaching youth to skate, play hockey and figure skate in a different environment.
鈥淢ost camps are divided by age,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut here we have the little kids all the way up, because the little kids learn from the older ones. That鈥檚 really important. The older ones mentor them and then the little guys grow up doing the same things, the right things.鈥�
As well as the hockey camp, Schaeffer was teaching five figure skaters from Peace River, Alta.
According to Molloy, whose grandson was attending the camp, one of the most important things the kids learn is how to skate properly. They learn that from Schaeffer. 鈥淣o one teaches skating like him,鈥� he said.
While with Molloy, the skaters learn the techniques and skills necessary to play hockey.
One lesson he taught on Thursday was to never stop moving. 鈥淔ast feet are happy feet,鈥� he told the skaters.
Nicole Veerman
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