Rob Gagno sees a good thing in the Sicamous and District Recreation Centre, and he aims to take advantage of it.
Gagno, with partners Wayne Lenihan and Ryan Turner, have brought Top Flight Hockey school to the community, having held its inaugural camp last week.
Gagno coaches hockey in the Lower Mainland, but vacations with his family in Sicamous during the summer with Lenihan, Turner and their families. The three saw the arena as an opportunity to start up a new hockey school, and Gagno was able to fill this year’s camp quickly with his students from the Coast.
“To be able to skate, walk outside, have all this to play games (Finlayson Park)… and come right back inside is amazing. You guys are so lucky,” says Gagno of the arena.
Gagno has been teaching hockey school since he was 13, and used to teach with the Howie Meeker Hockey School in Potsdam, New York.
With Top Flight, Gagno says instruction is focused on skill and development.
“What we do is really break down the stride, teach it from the very basics, and build them right back up,” says Gagno.
Due to short notice, this year’s camp had only one Sicamous participant. Gagno hopes to see that expand next summer.
For more information about the school, contact Lenihan at 1-604-838-3542. A website for the school will be up soon.