A look inside Monday's opening day of the North Stars Hockey School in North Battleford. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Back on the Ice

North Stars Hockey School kicks off in the Battlefords

Aug 15, 2022 | 4:50 PM

Class is in session on the ice at the North Stars Hockey School.

Kicking off Monday with activities throughout the day, the Battlefords North Stars Hockey School, gives young hockey players a chance to hone their skills through on-ice and dryland training led by North Stars coach, Brayden Klimosko, and current Stars’ players.

Klimosko said the hockey school is always a highlight of the summer schedule.

“It’s always exciting to be back for this event,” Klimosko said, fresh off the ice between sessions. “Obviously once the hockey school starts you know you’re not far away from your season, so it’s exciting to be back in the rink for the boys and the kids, and it’s always a fun time at this rink this time of year.”

Among the North Stars players helping out opening week are Battlefords’ hometown players, Jake Southgate, Zane Florence and Ryan Taylor.

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Southgate, who was named captain earlier this summer, said he’s always happy to come out and lend a hand at the hockey school, having grown up attending the camp as a participant in his formative years in the sport.

“I grew up coming to these camps and now I think it’s my third year coming here coaching, so it’s been really good throughout the whole experience,” Southgate said.

Florence, who is also heading into his 20-year-old season with the team, also attended the Stars’ Hockey School growing up, and said even now helping coach, it’s an event he looks forward to.

“It’s awesome. You spend all summer just waiting to get back on the ice and there’s no better way to do it than in your home city with the kids like you were growing up,” Florence said, letting out a smile. “I remember coming to this camp as a kid, so it’s always cool to be teaching it now and I’m sure these kids are having lots of fun as I know I did.”

This will mark the first of back-to-back weeks of the Stars’ Hockey School. Following the conclusion of this week’s camp on Aug. 19, the hockey school will run again Aug. 22-26 for another week of skills training and games at the ACC.

Ryan Taylor, who is in his first year helping out at the hockey school as a 16-year-old recent North Stars commit, called it a fun way to get back into the swing of things ahead of the coming hockey season.

“It was good to get back out there; the ice is crisp and it was good to have all the young guys out and be able to be with them and see my teammates again too,” Taylor said. “You forget how nice it is to be back here at the rink when you leave it for a bit, so it’s good to be back.”

“It’s hockey season again.”

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1