ST-MICHEL – Mathieu Darche is not your typical retired NHL player.
When he gives pep talks to young people, he never makes the focus of his speech about his pro-hockey career.
On Tuesday morning, he spoke to students at JFK High School in east-end Montreal to deliver a simple message: “stay in school, and try to earn a university degree – like I did.”
“Odds are you’ll use your degree more than you use your hockey skills”, Darche told the crowd of youngsters.
“Even if you play pro hockey, I played 12 seasons in the NHL, I’m pretty sure I’ll be working more than 12 years (after hockey).”
Darche was also on hand to help promote a new program at the St-Michel-area school.
This fall, JFK High School will be offering free hockey equipment and off-ice training to students thinking of dropping out.
The hope is the on-ice experience will serve as a motivational tool to keep the kids in class.
“We have to pull them in, to keep them in school by enticing them to play hockey”, says JFK High School principal Joseph Marra.
The ‘TECH’ program is expected to help about 25 disadvantaged students per year.
Comments