The U-15 Bow Valley Flames have been awarded a once-in-a-lifetime hockey experience, Giuseppe’s Practice with a Pro.
Hall of Famer and long-time Calgary Flame Jarome Iginla will join the Bow Valley Flames for their April 29 practice at the Chestermere recreation centre.
Albertans were encouraged to nominate their favourite youth hockey team for the Giuseppe’s Practice with a Pro contest between September 2022 and January 2023.
“The winning entry provided the opportunity to team up with one of hockey’s greatest teammates and an epic pizza party with their friends, family members, and members of the community,” a practice with a pro press release said.
The Bow Valley Flames were chosen to practice with a pro based on their community involvement.
The team was out in the community helping wrap gifts, gathering toys for toy mountain, packing food bank boxes, spending time at seniors homes, and helping mentor a younger hockey team throughout the season.
“These boys had no idea they were even being entered into the consent. They did these things out of the goodness of their hearts, and that’s a lesson they will learn from this,” team manager Stephanie Shantz said.
Shantz is hopeful the team will not only learns new skills from Iginla, but also recognize the importance of community, and helping others when they can.
“These boys are capable, confident, strong, kind, respectful, and they can help. My philosophy as a parent and as a team manager is if we can do something for someone that will make a difference, then we should do it,” Shantz said. “The players weren’t expecting a reward for the service and the time they put out into the community, but somebody saw what they were doing, and recognized that what they were doing was important.”
Shantz added, helping others in the community gives the players a sense of pride, while bettering themselves as individuals in society.
“The purpose behind it was to help our community, they truly had no idea they had been entered into the contest. There were no ulterior motives for any of the players,” Shantz said. “This is a reminder that there is a lot of good behind this sport.”
The Bow Valley Flames, coaching staff, and family members learned the team had been nominated and won the contest during their latest practice, after watching a video from Iginla.
“What is so impressive about this team is that they were unaware they were being nominated. They weren’t being good members of the community because they had a goal in mind. Rather, the commitment they have to their community is a true reflection of who they are and the character that is being instilled in them by their coaches and families,” said Shane Burleigh, assistant team coach.
“Jarome Iginla is actually my favourite player. I’ve loved him forever. I’m still in shock over getting to meet him,” a Bow Valley Flames player said.
The Practice with a Pro campaign is designed to forge a strong relationship between Albertans through the love of hockey.
“There is nothing more grassroots, and connects people more than hockey,” the release said. “By the same token, there is no one more authentic to help bring this home than Alberta’s very own Jarome Iginla, so this is in every sense, a perfect match.”
