Blacklick Valley School Sixth Graders to get "First Taste" of National Hockey

Published on January 26, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Johnstown Chiefs News Release


Johnstown, Pa. - On February 3, 2009, Blacklick Valley School 6th grade students will be "lacing up the skates" at The Northern Cambria Recreation Center in Ebensburg, PA. The students will be participating in a new pilot program named Taste of the Game™ which is being supported by the National Hockey League in conjunction with the Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL, The Roustan United Arena Solutions Team, Planet Ice Skating Center, and the Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Chamber of Commerce John B. Gunter Leadership Program. Taste of the Game is a non-profit initiative, designed to introduce school children to the game of ice hockey in which they gain first hand experience on the ice.

"Taste of the Game™ will introduce kids to the game of hockey so they can develop a love for a sport. Hockey is a sport that has no age limits, is for all genders and has no borders. Like chocolate, once kids get a taste of the game, it will last a lifetime," says Stephen Walkom National Hockey League Sr. Vice President.

The program has the students arriving at The Northern Cambria Recreation Center at 9:30 a.m. by bus, where they will be taken on a behind the scenes tour of the ice facility. Then the real treat begins when the kids are escorted to the locker room and fitted with a full set of hockey equipment and then taken onto the ice for an instructional session with Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL coaches and players. The Taste of the Game™ on ice portion of the program begins at 10:00 a.m. and ends at 11:00 a.m. After the on-ice portion ends then the students get a chance to watch the Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL practice until 11:30 am, so students can return to school by lunch time.

"This is a classic example of how several organizations can work in concert to bring value added programs to our community. This program will advance the sport of hockey participation and fan base, but also promote healthy living and a fun and exciting past time that can last forever," said Scott Branovan, President and CEO of Roustan United Arena Solutions. "Seeing the smile on a student's face the first time they put on full hockey gear and are on the ice with a professional hockey player is priceless."

The Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Chamber of Commerce John B. Gunter Leadership Program will be involved in the community outreach aspect of Taste of the Game. The John B. Gunter Leadership Program will be in contact with schools to introduce and explain the benefits of Taste of The Game.

"We were thrilled to get involved with Taste of the Game™ because it met all of our areas of interest. It allows us to work with area youth to promote healthy lifestyles, fitness, and teamwork and also to introduce youth to an activity that they may have never experienced. It also introduces youth and families to the Johnstown Chiefs and gives the team a new avenue to get involved with the community, thus helping the team to nurture community ties and positively affect the economy of the downtown region," said Jennifer Tiffany of the John B. Gunter Leadership project team.

"The Chiefs, along with everyone involved in Taste of The Game ™, are excited about the opportunity to introduce and teach the youth of Johnstown and the surrounding communities the great game of ice hockey. Hockey is a fantastic sport that a person can participate in during their entire lifetime. The exercise and friendships you make from playing a team sport will be with you forever," added Johnstown Chiefs head coach Ian Herbers.

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