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MRU Cougars, Rutland Park association partnership provides free skating lessons

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Demand for skating lessons is increasing around Mount Royal University, but Cougar Hockey is here to help.

Cougar Hockey and the Rutland Park Community Association have partnered to deliver lessons free of charge to the people in the surrounding area of the campus.

The collaboration between Cougar Athletics and the Rutland Park was initiated by Steve Dubois, the community association’s director at large.

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Dubois reached out to Mount Royal due to the sheer size of requests he had about providing skating lessons.

“I thought it would be a good idea to contact MRU and see if their hockey programs would be interested to give the kids skating lessons and play with them,” he said.

MRU director of men’s hockey operations, Nathan Higgins, was the first point of contact Dubois reached out to.

“We learned that the community would really appreciate one-hour skating lessons on their rink this year and from that there could be future hockey lessons possible next season,” said Higgins.

This is the first year that Cougar Hockey is providing this sort of volunteering.

Cougar Hockey already enjoys a warm relationship with neighbouring Rutland Park.

Last fall, Cougars men’s hockey donated used Cougar practice jerseys to the community and they were well received.

Higgins also invited the community, on behalf of Cougar Hockey, to one of the more heavily attended home games of the season — the MRU Remembers game that is held annually in appreciation of the Canadian military in November.

About a few dozen or so fans from the community attended the game.

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The Mount Royal University Cougars have come out to provide free one-hour skating lessons in partnership with the Rutland Park Community Association.
The Mount Royal University Cougars have come out to provide free one-hour skating lessons in partnership with the Rutland Park Community Association. Photo by Supplied photo

“From Cougar Hockey’s perspective, we want to be visible and relevant in southwest Calgary and the players are keen to give their time to the community,” said Higgins. “The community members have been excited to rub shoulders with the MRU varsity student-athletes and develop hockey skills on their outdoor recreational rink.”

Fourth-year men’s hockey player Jamal Watson is one of the dozen or so athletes who came out during all three skating lesson sessions.

“It’s special that we can make a connection with our neighbouring community that are so close to home and help grow the brand of Cougar Hockey,” he said. “Helping kids skate and seeing the joy on their face always just brings out the best in everyone and we’re glad the Rutland Community loves having us out.”

The first of three outings was a hit in Rutland Park with just over 40 people showing up to get lessons from both men’s and women’s MRU hockey players. The final session of the season was held on Monday night.

Dubois was pleasantly surprised with the immediate feedback he received from the community.

“We started to think we need more players involved,” he said.“I wanted to have half of the players be from the women’s team for the younger girls to look up to a women’s hockey player, someone who can have a mentor to look up to and see examples of a girl who can skate and play hockey.

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“It’s a good view for the MRU sports programs to really include everyone.”

The Rutland Park Community Association is in the process of using government funding to expand its building adjacent to the ice rink by adding a heated change room, concession and garage for equipment.

“The vision of the community is to involve the community with MRU and to be more active. We’ve had so many requests for skating lessons. Having these two teams with us really helps. It came together perfectly,” said Dubois.

“We have all the help we need and the community loves it. We had a ton of feedback from the community online and it shows how many kids have been out here.”

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