WHL and NHL alumni Ed Patterson was recently in Quesnel providing dozens of youth with high-quality hockey instruction.
Patterson was joined by his son Max in the 7th annual Cariboo Elite Hockey Camp at the West Fraser Centre from Monday, Aug. 22 to Friday, Aug. 26.
“We just love doing it,” he said. “It’s easier for us to come up here than every parent to have to pay thousands of dollars to go to the OHA (Okanagan Hockey Academy) or the POE (Program of Excellence). It’s just nice to be part of a small town community thing.”
Patterson has been with the Cariboo Elite Hockey Camp since its inception.
This year was a first assisting for Cariboo Cougars player Carter Hesselgrave of Quesnel.
The camps provided aspiring hockey players from ages 6-15 with a week of skill development and dryland training. A goalie camp was also available.
“I just adore the kids, and I don’t have kids in hockey, so it’s nice to see this once a year,” said Tarin Lefebvre, the city’s recreation coordinator.
The Cariboo Elite Hockey Camp returned in a much smaller format last year after being suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Director and program developer Shane Thon said it was encouraging this year to return to having more registrants pre-Covid.
”There’s a lot of sweaty cheeks and wet hair by the time they’re finished at the end of the day, but it’s good,” Thon said.
The summer camps concluded Friday with a fun afternoon on the ice.
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: rebecca.dyok@quesnelobserver.com
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