The Kids Christian Hockey League closes in Brockville; equipment to be handed over on Thursday night

BROCKVILLE, ONT. – After 25 years of helping kids learn the game, the Kids Christian Hockey League in Brockville folds and they give back to the community for the last time.

“It’s been a real journey for those 25 years, and now we’re probably ready to wrap it up here,” said director Randy Hopkins, who started the league with his longtime friend Paul Armstrong.

“Little hockey just didn’t work for us because most of the ice age was on Sunday mornings, and at that point in our lives we wanted our kids to attend church,” Hopkins said.

“So we thought we’d just throw it out and see if it’s possible that there are other families like that who would like to leave Sunday mornings free and possibly play hockey at other times,” he added.

In the first year, 47 children participated in the league, then it grew to 74 and 96 over the next couple of years.

At its peak, more than 350 children participated in the season.

“What happened as we evolved, we learned that there was a different group of people who want to live a rounded balanced life in a wide variety of things, and they don’t just focus on hockey,” Hopkins said.

“We were able to provide one night a week for kids to learn to play and have fun without a lot of time commitment and weekends free,” he said.

Like Brad Craig-Pettem and his son Ben, who only joined the league a few years ago.

“I think some of the values ​​brought by the organizers fit in a way to what we’re looking for to start our son,” Craig-Pettem said. “He didn’t know exactly if he preferred hockey or not, he hadn’t really skated that much and we tried it.”

“Randy was one of the ice coaches and he asked me to participate, so I kind of helped a little on his side, but my son Ben really took it and loved hockey and we were involved for three seasons in total,” he added.

Hopkins said now is the time to fold the league when his family’s commitments have changed, as have others, and couldn’t find anyone dedicated to taking over the league.

“It’s been a challenge for sure, because we’ve had a vision, we’ve had a passion,” Hopkins said. “Several families have come with us for these 25 years, but they have also moved along where we have stayed. It has dropped the numbers to about 200 children.”

“It affects thousands of our local communities in Leeds and the Grenville area,” Craig-Pettem said. “There are so many people who both started in the Kids Christian League as players and then saw their kids really being players in the league, so it’s definitely sad to see this time.”

Now there is a new home full of hockey equipment, free for those who want it.

Hopkins opened its doors on Tuesday night, and about a hundred people stopped to browse and take home used skates, chin pads, goalie gear, and sticks.

“This is a really good device. This is not a broken device, it is not a worn device,” Hopkins said. “A lot of stuff has been donated and we want to make sure families can use it.”

“There are skates for 4-year-olds and older trying to find a pair to get on the ice to see if you love your child’s hockey,” Craig-Pettem added. “There’s head-to-toe equipment out there, so if you think you need equipment, then come down.”

Hopkins says it’s a way to give back to a community that has supported the league for the past 25 years.

“We have this opportunity to do it, and we’re excited that families need it and are willing to come to accept it, and it’s a great way to finish it,” he said.

“We just want people to have the equipment, planned for two or three years on the road. Take two or three pairs of skates, we just want families to enjoy it,” Hopkins said.

He has many wonderful memories over the years, such as when former NHL player Mike Gartner was president of the NHLPA, and donated $ 50,000 in equipment at the start of the league.

And to teach children who had never been on skates before.

“They fell down and started crying, so I took them back back, I took another child, at different times I would have two kids skating in my arms and trying to help other kids skate …… these are really good memories I always carry,” Hopkins said.

“Thank you to the community, not just Brockville, but the whole area. We probably have 50 different sponsors over the years, we raise $ 15, 20 thousand a year to make it beneficial to the people, and the community has been so supportive of us and we are so grateful for that,” Hopkins said.

“I think their leadership was huge and their honesty when you look at the players who were there in the late 90s and who themselves became parents to their children playing in the league was phenomenal to see.

The small and large businesses as well as the local sponsors who helped make this league a reality were huge, and it certainly wouldn’t have been possible without Randy and Paul’s leadership, ”Craig-Pettem said.

“I think this talks a lot about longevity, and the many generations of players who came to the league were due to the values ​​they instilled. It will definitely stay apart, but not overlooked,” he added.

The remaining hockey equipment will be available to pick up from behind Matt’s car service at 4 Stewart Blvd., Brockville, from 6pm to 7pm on July 29th.