STOUGHTON - Over the past 10 years, there has been no minor hockey teams from Stoughton playing at the Stoughton Arena, due to a lack of enough kids to create a team.
Although there is no minor hockey, the Stoughton rink is a busy place with skaters and hockey teams.
An initiation program is held every Saturday, organized by Matt Sangster. He has been involved with running this program for five years.
Youngsters ages three to six may join this program, which introduces kids to the game of hockey. Once finished the program, they can further their way into hockey at a neighbouring community.
According to Sangster, it teaches kids the basic skills of hockey. The youngsters come in full hockey gear and are taught how to get up with all that equipment on once they fall.
They are also taught how to hold a hockey stick, stopping with two blades and skating.
Sangster usually has eight kids that partake in the program. Mat Warburton, Stephen Clark and his daughter Jaina help with the skaters.
Sangster and his wife Rhonda are long-time residents of Stoughton and are very involved in the community.
The arena has always been run by volunteers so ice time was limited to who could help, but this year they have a caretaker, Jason White, who cleans the arena and floods the ice.
Having a caretaker allowed the rink to be open more often to the public and allowed teams from out of town to practise in this establishment when they cannot find ice time at their own rinks.
Power skating is another program offered, which is run by Brad Gervais. It is for older kids and held on Monday evenings. This program will help give skaters the skills to skate better and stronger. No other hockey equipment, other than a helmet, is needed for this.
Wednesdays are for skating lessons. Kellee Slimmons runs the program and Bailey Baumgartner is the instructor. This is also for all ages, but they would prefer it if beginners had some skating skills. Helmets are also required to take part in this program.
Sangster feels this is the busiest the rink has been in years, and he hopes that it continues like this.
