School may be out for the summer, but in SMASHVILLE another kind of class is about to be in session.
Preds Hockey School presented by CAT Financial is set to return for two exciting one-week sessions from July 10-14 at Ford Ice Center Antioch and July 24-28 at Ford Ice Center Bellevue.
Geared toward recreational and youth travel hockey players aged 6 to 14, the program allows young athletes to enhance their game both on and off the ice.
While campers will gain critical hockey knowledge and learn new skills, they’ll also get the chance to let loose and focus on one of the most important aspects of hockey: having fun.
“When you take that competitive side away and you just make it more enjoyable, the kids fall in love with the game all over again,” Director of Amateur Hockey and Fan Development Kristen Bowness said. “When they’re able to make new friends, when they’re able to try something new it’s always beneficial for the overall athlete.”
During camp, participants will be separated into three different age groups and learn the ins and outs of the game in a variety of on and off-ice activities.
The fun isn’t exclusive to kids from Middle Tennessee either.
Each year brings a new group of first-time students as well as those who’ve attended in the past – some even traveling across international borders to see old friends and learn from some of the best instructors in the Southeast.
“We have so many different programs for different levels that it attracts everybody,” Bowness said. “We’ll have some of our newer kids as well as some of our more advanced kids, and everyone just works really well together. It’s just making new friends and connecting with old ones. We have people that come from Alaska and Canada, so it’s kind of like a reunion every summer for the kids, which is fun to see.”
As Nashville continues to reinforce its identity as a true “hockey town” in a non-traditional market, many other successful Predators-affiliated hockey initiatives operate alongside Preds Hockey School in order to spark people’s passion for hockey throughout Middle Tennessee.
Ty Harden, a Nashville native and hockey enthusiast, first discovered his love for the sport while participating in a similar Preds program.
“My first experience with hockey came through the Nashville Predators GOAL! program,” Harden said. “Since then, I have played at the house, travel and high school levels around the city. Hockey has been my favorite activity since I first stepped on the ice for the GOAL! program, and I cannot imagine what my life would have looked like had my parents not thrown me on the ice that first time.”
Whether your child is a first-timer or a seasoned skater, the Preds Hockey School offers all its participants an opportunity to fall in love with the greatest sport in the world.
Click here to learn more about Preds Hockey School and how to register. Registration for FIC Antioch closes July 5; registration for FIC Bellevue closes July 19.
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