Watch above: The Saskatoon Blades took to the ice in a rare morning game today to ‘Team up for Respect’ with school students. Aaron Streck finds out more about the program which is geared toward stopping bullying on the goal line.
SASKATOON – You wouldn’t expect an 11:30 a.m. puck drop to draw that many fans, let alone be one of the loudest games of the season. But Monday’s match-up between the Saskatoon Blades and Regina Pats was no ordinary Western Hockey League game.
Five-thousand screaming school kids packed the stands at SaskTel Centre to take a stand against issues like bullying, all part of ‘Team Up For Respect.’
“At the end of the day we want them to go home better equipped to deal with challenges they might face like bullying and better equipped to make the most of those opportunities later in life,” said Saskatoon Blades President Steve Hogle.
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“Kids need to have it always reinforced that they have control over who they are and how they interact with people around them and that respect piece is a huge plus I think for kids to be able to say this is what I can be, this is who I can be and this is how I can change who I am,” said Diane Boyko, chair of the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Board.
Despite the excitement all around them, Grade 4 and 5 students from around the city didn’t lose track of what was most important.
“A lot of kids don’t get the opportunity to come be apart of an experience like this and what we’ve been talking about is respect and being a part of a team and sense of community and taking it outside the classroom too and they’re just pumped to be here,” said Danielle Pacholko, a teacher at Fairhaven School.
As part of the experience students were handed workbooks on respect, bullying, health and goal-setting.
Saskatoon Blades organization is planning to make Monday’s inaugural ‘Team Up For Respect’ an annual event for Grade 4 and 5 students in Saskatoon for years to come.
“It’s not a money making venture by any stretch but we see the greater good and the opportunity that we have here and we think lets leverage that and lets make the most of it to make Saskatoon and Saskatchewan even better places to live, work and play.”
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