After a four-year absence, Hal High Red Hawks hockey is back.
Coach Jason Morissette and his squad have been on the ice practicing and will host I.E. Weldon Secondary School from Lindsay in their home-opener Nov. 27 at 2 p.m. at A.J. LaRue Arena in Haliburton.
Morissette said with COVID-19, “hockey took quite a wallop in terms of numbers,” He added it isn’t the easiest sport to maintain because of cost and logistics. Things were further exacerbated because there was no Highland Storm Midget team for a couple of years.
However, the coach said, “things seem to have picked back up and kids are involved in lots of activities.”
More recently, the cooperative education teacher said he’d been approached by parents, students, Red Hawks hockey alumni, and people involved in minor hockey about bringing a team back.
He began working towards that goal this past summer. Initially, he considered a junior team, but there was solid interest from older students so he pivoted to a varsity team.
He’s found players that don’t compete on other Red Hawk teams, and others who travel out of town to play hockey. In fact, for 15 of 21, this will be their first team sport at the school.
“This is something that is going to help them,” Morissette said.
He played all kinds of sports when he attended Hal High, including hockey. So did his brothers.
“Some of our best memories are going on the bus as a team, and going to a tournament, just being with your friends, and representing your school.” He said it helped him as a kid, and will help others to connect, with behavioural issues, and discipline.
“Our school credo is respect, commitment, responsibility, and we’re trying to get these guys to buy in, learn, and want to feel part of the school.” He noted some student athletes really thrive with contact sports, which have been lacking at the school.
Player Ty Rupnow said, “we’ve all been really excited to get going again. I think we all just wanted to play hockey at school; other people tell stories about how fun it was, so we really want to do that, so I’m really glad.”
Parker Simms pulls on a jersey from years ago and comments, “just here to represent the school. It feels pretty good.”
Jace Mills added, “I think it’s just good to get back, get on the ice, play some hockey, and have some fun.”
Morissette said it had been a lot of work and he couldn’t have done it without the support of the school, including principal Jennifer Mills. Hal High teacher Ray Rietvelt is team trainer, and teacher Laura Kulas, team manager. He also thanked the community, singling out assistant coach, Nick Kulas, Nicki Dollo, who is the fundraising representative, and Clay Glecoff, the goalie coach.
This will mark the 35th year HHSS has had a hockey team. They are asking people to make a donation of a nonperishable food item or money to a local food bank at the door at all home games.
Looking at the kids after practice, the coach says, “we’re excited to see if they have fun and how they do.”
