PRINCE GEORGE – Cariboo Hockey put on a Major ID Camp over the weekend, for the first time in about 18 months.
The Northern Capitals stole the show at the camp when they brought in 45 athletes, the most they’ve ever had.
For Trevor Sprague, General Manager of Cariboo Hockey, he says this just goes to show the itch that people have had to get back to hockey.
“With the girls, it’s the biggest number we’ve had for history. That tells you a lot of good things, that people are excited to get back to the rink. I think people want to get out, want to be part of an organization, want to be part of a team and want to develop in the game they love.”
For Mario Desjardins, however, Head Coach of the Northern Capitals, he knows how much the future of his team will be affected because of this camp.
“It’s amazing to see that many girls actually sign up for an ID Camp. It’s not only a lot of girls but a lot of girls that have some skill and some talent and some hard work [ethic], so that’s really encouraging for the future of the Northern Capitals.”
Something else that Desjardins was encouraged to see, was the diversity he saw with the number of locations that some of the girls were from. He attributed this to the outstanding work done by the surrounding associations, here in the North.
“[We saw girls] from everywhere, it’s basically our whole zone and it’s spread out pretty well. That’s really encouraging that the other associations are doing a great job with their programs as well.”
Coming off last year, which was heavily affected by the pandemic, it’s apparent to Desjardins how different this year feels, as well as the excitement that the girls are bringing once again.
“Last year was a Covid year and we made the best of it. It’s a little bit different showing up to the rink now and being able to go in the dressing room and you have a team around you. It’s definitely exciting and you can see the excitement in the girls as well. We’re somewhat back to normal so that’s good to see.”
