It’s not every day youth hockey players get to skate with real professionals, but that’s exactly what happened in Kelowna when a minor hockey team from Ontario laced up the skates with former NHL player Jarome Iginla.
The Burlington Bulldogs U10 team won the experience by successfully submitting an application for the Dr. Oetker Giuseppe Practice with a Pro contest, an annual hockey program that rewards one minor hockey team with a trip to the Memorial Cup, featuring an exclusive on-ice practice with the Hall of Fame hockey player.
The Bulldogs earned their trip to Kelowna after spending months hosting community-driven initiatives that supported families and seniors in their local community.
When in Kelowna for the Memorial Cup, the Bulldogs got to spend a weekend in a series of hockey experiences, which capped off with the on-ice practice at Prospera Place with Iginla, his son Joe, and assistant coach and NHL alumni Patrick Wiercioch.
“It was great to see the smiles and excitement on the Burlington Bulldogs’ faces; it brought me back to that age and how fun trips were with your teammates,” said Iginla following the practice session.
“Some of my best friends today are from teams I played with at 10. They were a very deserving team with all their hard work and generosity throughout the year. I thoroughly enjoyed the day.”
Iginla tells Black Press Media the practice went really well and that he focused on skating drills, puck handling and compete drills.
“At age 10, I think the most important thing is having fun and building a passion for the game,” said Iginla.
“…The kids were very competitive, and you could see the kids thought it was pretty neat being on the ice where the Memorial Cup was taking place and the big guys were playing.”
Iginla has been taking part in the Practice with a Pro event at the Memorial Cup for four years. He believes it helps young teams learn to give back and do nice things for their community.
Bulldogs player Lochlan Graham made the trip to Kelowna, making memories every step of the way.
“It was extremely exciting going on the ice with Jarome Iginla, knowing he assisted Sidney Crosby’s golden goal in the Olympics. The practice was so fun,” said Graham.
“It was really fun to spend time with my hockey team in Kelowna. We got to go zip-lining, go-karting, and we watched the semi-final game of the Memorial Cup.”
Previous winners of the Skate with a Pro include the U15 Bow Valley Flames from Chestermere, Alberta, the U15 Dalmeny Sabres from Dalmeny, Saskatchewan, and the U11 Western Winds Girls’ Hockey Team from Tignish, PEI.