Hockey school is coming to Carihi Secondary.
“Campbell River is a hockey town,” said principal Sean Toal. “I’ve hardly sent out any information and I’m already flooded with e-mails. I think there’s a lot of interest.”
The Hockey Canada Skills Academy will be based at Carihi, and will also be open to students at Timberline Secondary. The academy is accepting boys and girls, in Grades 9-12, who will learn on- and off-ice skills from Rob Voltera, the assistant coach of the Campbell River Storm Junior B hockey club.
“We have a very good relationship with the Storm,” said Toal, who helped start a successful hockey academy at Alberni District Secondary School.
Carihi’s hockey academy is partnering with the Storm club and its expected that formal accreditation from Hockey Canada and B.C. Hockey should be completed in the next few weeks.
The academy will take place during the first semester, during the students’ first-block physical education course.
Features of this program include: curriculum developed by Hockey Canada; certified and trained coaches; three on-ice sessions per week, and two off-ice training sessions at the Storm gym facility; graduation credits for students in grades 10-12; and power skating instruction.
The academy will provide approximately 50 hours of on-ice instruction and 40 hours of off-ice training, guided by Voltera who has an impressive hockey resume.
He played his minor hockey in Campbell River, left at age 16 and made it onto the Prince George Cougars of the WHL. He later played professionally in Germany before returning to North America to play with the Binghamton Icemen and the Hershey Bears.
He started coaching in 2007, as an assistant in junior hockey, before returning to Campbell River to raise a family with his wife Nicole. They now have three children.
Voltera is currently an assistant coach with the Storm and knows the importance of a good education.
While playing in Prince George, he was the Scholastic Player of the Year and just missed out winning the honours for the entire Canadian Hockey League.
The Carihi hockey academy will run with a minimum of 25 students and a maximum of 30. Spaces will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis with program administration having right of refusal.
Parents interested in having their child in the hockey academy should attend an information meeting on Monday, at 6 p.m., in the Carihi Multi-Purpose Room.
Applications for this program (along with a non-refundable deposit of $200) will be due on May 17. Total cost for the program will be $850.
For more information, e-mail Toal at sean.toal@sd72.bc.c or call 250-286-6282.