Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Avalon Elementary Students Welcome Flash, Steckel, Coach Woods and Slapshot


David Steckel teaches stick handling to students.

Avalon Elementary fourth-sixth grade students in Temple Hills, Md., looked forward to recess a little more than usual yesterday as players David Steckel and Tomas Fleischmann were joined by assistant coach Bob Woods and Slapshot to participate in Capitals Hockey School, presented by Capital One Bank. Woods, Flash and Steckel began the session fielding questions from students in the elementary school’s multi-purpose room/cafeteria before directing a floor hockey clinic with the 145 excited fourth-sixth grade students.


Led by Woods, Fleischmann and Steckel instructed the students about puck-handling, passing and shooting, before hosting a skills competition. Following the competition, the students scrimmaged with the pair of players. The hour-long program concluded with a shootout - students versus teachers - on Slapshot. Hockey Mom is thinking that Slapshot may have had his work cut out for him trying to guard the crease against this new crop of "young guns"!


“The kids were really loud and excited about learning hockey,” Fleischmann said. “It was fun playing with the kids – teaching them how to shoot a slapshot,” Steckel said. All students who participated in the session received autographed player cards from Fleischmann and Steckel along with Caps Hockey 101 booklets and squishy pucks.

This was the first Capitals Hockey School visit this season. The Capitals do two Capitals Hockey School visits a month reaching more than 250 students through the clinics as well as donating the hockey equipment to the school so the kids can have a chance to practice what they learn.

And to think, the second day of school and my two were already kvetching about recess - hope their P.E. teachers get with the program and sign up for Caps Hockey School.

1 comment:

Clay Boggess said...

This sounded like a lot of fun that the kids won't soon forget! The P.E. teacher will surely have trouble topping this experience. Perhaps this experience will inspire them to dream even bigger.