NEWS RELEASE
YORK SIMCOE EXPRESS
*******************************
The York Simcoe Express (YSE) Novice team played its first full ice game Jan. 25 with their 'big brothers' and mentors, the Minor Midget team, cheering them on.
The Novice team beat the Barrie Colts 6-2, while the Minor Midget players filled the stands as part of the YSE mentorship program.
This partnership between the two teams involves each Minor Midget Player being paired with a Novice player for the season in a mentor role. This provides the Minor Midget players the opportunity to act in a leadership and role model capacity as they provide support and encouragement to the Novice players in their first year of competitive hockey.
It is our hope that they will not only support and learn from each other, but also form some relationships that will last well beyond this season.
The players spend some time doing fun activities to get to know each other and attend games to support and cheer each other on. The Novice players are very excited to have a few of their mentors out to assist and support them at their practices every week, so stay tuned for updates and photos throughout the season.
The first full ice game is part of the transition that occurs in the Ontario Minor Hockey Association and Hockey Canada's Player Pathways, which is based on the long-term player development model. The Pathways are a progressive, learn-to-play teaching curriculum that prepares players to graduate from one age group to the next.
The curriculums introduce, develop and refine the skills of skating, passing, puck control and shooting in a progressive, step-by-step manner.
The primary focus of the youth hockey system is to develop a lifelong passion for sport, develop important life skills through hockey, and provide young players exposure to a development system that is progressive in nature and meets their needs based on age-specific and skill-appropriate programming.
Congratulations to the Novice Team on a great game and a huge thank you to the Minor Midget team for coming out to cheer them on!
*******************************
