It’s the dog days of summer, but the Invista centre ice is getting plenty of action this week.
Some former Kingstonians have come home for the summer from their USports and NCAA hockey teams to teach the next generation of women’s hockey players from the Limestone City.
Dozens of young female hockey players have been at the Invista centre every day this week getting in some summer ice time during this hockey camp.
Former Kingston resident Tatum White — now with the Syracuse University Orange women’s hockey team — is hosting the camp with some of her elite-level counterparts.
“I have a bunch of girls who I grew up playing hockey with that are now at the university level that come out and coach with me,” White said. “They have been awesome. Last year and this year I’ve had different girls come through, and the girls just love having the older university girls out there helping.”
The camp focuses mainly on running drills as opposed to learning new systems. Between on-ice and dry-land training, these players have been put to the test.
White says she’s thrilled to pass on her years of hockey knowledge to the next generation.
“It means the world to me. Having grown up playing hockey in Kingston it just means a lot to see the girls who are going through exactly what I went through when I was younger and being able to be a role model for them,” she said.
A role model and a blueprint on how to make it to the next level of women’s hockey.
“Having seen myself and my friends that I grew up playing hockey with at my age, extend on to the university level at either USports or NCAA and even on further than that,” White said. “I’m just glad I get to be the person who helps these girls reach those goals as well.”