No ice required in after-school league

No ice required in after-school league

Sports

Nalisha Sankreacha

Andy Mien, Dan McMullen and Jon Lloyd have a passion for hockey.

At the same time, the three Middlefield Collegiate Institute teachers are sharing their love of the game with the school’s student body.

The trio is doing it through a street hockey league they oversee at the school called the Middlefield Intramural Hockey Association.

Comprised of eight teams with 10 players on each squad, league games are played after school hours in the Middlefield Collegiate parking lot.

“Hockey is one of Canada’s major sports, it’s an amazing game,” McMullen, a Middlefield Collegiate physical education teacher, said.

Launched by Mien six years ago, the league encourages students to remain healthy and participate in activities they enjoy. At the same time, the league allows students to develop their teamwork and problem solving skills.

“Students are able to have a healthy focus, they have something else to do besides playing video games and getting into trouble,” McMullen said. “All the players have their favourite hockey players, whether it’s Matts Sundin or Wayne Gretzky, it’s someone who inspires them and keeps them going.”

The league does not have any limitations on the number of students allowed to join. Nor are there specific skills required to play.   

“The league is open to anyone, regardless of athletic ability.” McMullen, who played the game in Markham since he was six years old, said.

The league was in a bit of jeopardy this year after the school’s new technological education wing was created over the summer. The construction left plenty of debris in the parking lot.

But students of the Healthy Schools Committee showed their support for the league by taking the initiative to get the Town of Markham to organize a street sweeper to clean out the parking lot.

With the parking lot void of debris, the league was up and running. The students’ enthusiasm has been evident.

“The students are really into it. They constantly update their website, encourage each other by having ‘stars of the week,’ and never give up,” McMullen said.  

Nalisha Sankreacha is a journalism co-op student from Middlefield Collegiate doing her placement at The Economist & Sun.

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