PARKSVILLE, BC, May 24, 2011 /CNW/ - The game's best player hasn't played in months, another may have died months after an on-ice head injury. Concussions in hockey are serious business. Acres Hockey has joined forces with Brain Navigators to create the first concussion preventative hockey school in Canada. The Parksville, B.C. based hockey school's mission is to provide players with the Skills, Tools and Education for Prevention (S.T.E.P.) via the Bringing Smart Play to Hockey program.
"We have the ability and must do better as coaches" says Henry Acres-Program Director of Acres Hockey Training. "Basic skills training must take precedence over winning for our youth to continue to play hockey past the age of body-contact introduction. It's a fact the majority of Canadian kids are behind in skating, and puck handling compared to kids over there."
Acres would know having spent most of his 9-year pro career in Sweden and Finland. Colleen Butler, Founder of Brain Navigators knows the ugliness of living with brain trauma suffered in a car accident. "2 weeks and you'll be fine." She was told by doctors. "Little did I know what was in store for me. Having survived this journey I vowed that my struggle should not be repeated by others. Education is vital to understanding that head injury recuperation time can be minimized with practical tools mentally and physically."
The core message of the hockey schools running July 18-20 and 24-28 for players 5-14 of age will be respect and education for brain injury prevention.