Youth hockey programs aren’t anything new in the Toledo area. But there’s only one that gives pint-sized players ages 5 to 8 their first chance to experience the sport by skating inside the Huntington Center on the same rink used by the pros.
VIDEO: Area children get to skate on Huntington Center ice through the Little Walleye program
Now in its third year, the Little Walleye Learn to Play Program offers such an opportunity.
For $150, kids get a complete starter set of hockey equipment, excluding skates (rentals are available). They also get a Little Walleye hockey sweater and an equipment bag; three hours of ice time, and two Toledo Walleye game tickets.
Most importantly, though, are the thrills and spills they get from venturing out onto the ice — stick in hand — to chase down the puck and try to score a goal.
The program is open only to those who have never participated in organized hockey. It is a collaboration between the Toledo Walleye and Sylvania Tam-O-Shanter and presented by the Ohio Lottery.
Two sessions are being held in early 2018, the first of which wraps up this weekend. There’s a limit of 50 children for each one.
The next session is in March. For information, go to the Walleye’s webpage on the program.
The website recommends kids have some skating lessons before starting the program, although Mike Mankowski, Sylvania Tam-O-Shanter hockey director, said that’s not a requirement.
The program, modeled after similar ones done by NHL teams, has grown each year, he said.
“Our goal is to create an environment in which kids can fall in love with hockey,” Mr. Mankowski said. “I’ve been involved with hockey for 30 years. Even for me, to go on that [Huntington Center] ice, it’s a neat feeling.”
Rob Wiercinski, Toledo Walleye spokesman, said parents get as much of a thrill watching their kids on the ice as the kids do skating.
“For us, it just makes sense to get involved in a program like this to help spark the passion in kids,” he said. “At that age, that's when kids are really exploring. It's a good way to get kids introduced to the sport.”
Odds are not great that today’s Little Walleye participants will grow up to become full-fledged members of the Toledo Walleye in, say, 15 or 20 years. But the team’s current captain, Alden Hirschfeld, is an example of how that could happen. He was raised in Sylvania.
Though out for the regular season with a knee injury, Mr. Hirschfeld, 29, is a graduate of Sylvania Northview High School and Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Walleye officials are optimistic he will return to the team for the Kelly Cup playoffs in the spring.
“You never know who the next Alden Hirschfeld will be,” Mr. Wiercinski said.
Mr. Hirschfeld has played five seasons for his hometown team.
Contact Tom Henry at thenry@theblade.com, 419-724-6079, or via Twitter @ecowriterohio.
First Published January 14, 2018, 12:45 p.m.
