Hockey Hub Continues to Attract Top Quality Talent

Hockey Hub Continues to Attract Top Quality Talent

Michelle Pinon News Advertiser

Viking is synonymous with hockey. It’s the ‘Home of the Sutters,’ one of Canada’s most prominent and successful hockey families.

The famous band of brothers who made their own mark in the National Hockey League in the ’70s and ’80s. The jersey’s of Brian, Darryl, Duane, Brent, Ron and Rich are prominently displayed in the Carena’s lobby along with photos and other memorabilia.

Out on the ice are a group of elite hockey players who are being put through the paces during a special development clinic. It’s close to plus 30 degrees Celsius outside, but it’s nice and cool inside. Hockey dad Lorne Firkus watches his 13-year-old son Slade as he goes through the drills during the three-hour session.

Lorne and his wife Shelly, who hail from Irma, have three boys and one girl who have all been involved in the sport of hockey from an early age. “All of my kids starting playing hockey at the age of three,” says Lorne. Right now Shelly is away at a hockey camp in Kelowna with their 16-year-old son Jagger.

The couple are used to travelling in all directions for games and clinics in the summer. Lorne says it’s nice to be able to have this camp in Viking, only an hour away from home. Last season Slade played for the Viking Red Wings in the Hockey Super League and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, the season was cut short due to COVID-19 and the team lost out on playing in Provincials, which would have been the highlight of the year.

But Lorne says he is very glad they can attend a camp like this, given the pandemic. He points out that Darryl, (Gagnon), the manager of the Carena, has done all the legwork for the clinic and commended him on all of the health and safety measures that were put in place for the players and their families.

The players have been on the ice since July 6 and are soon to wrap things up. Lorne says clinics like this really make a difference in terms of development, and it’s a great way to hone their skills. Slade also trains off-ice in Wainwright with the Huxley Hockey Conditioning.

“We are really fortunate Huxley, IHD Hockey, and Darryl brought it (the clinic), here,” added Lorne. He said all of the players love the game and want to be as good as they can. “This facility is beautiful.”

Darryl says, “The summer camps that we hosted were Huxley Hockey Conditioning who ran camps throughout July and has players from Wainwright, Irma, Daysland, Viking, Lloydminster, and everywhere between. The players are as young as 12 and there are also groups which include WHL, NCAA, AHL, and NHL players. Tim Green from Camrose ran two weeks of camps with players ranging in those same age groups up to the professional level.

The Brettzky Hockey School will run August 11-14 and is a camp aimed towards local youth and brings in players of various skill levels from Viking, Irma, Vegreville, Camrose and everywhere in between. The Viking Carena has certainly become a hub for summer camps for athletes playing various levels from East Central Alberta.”

Viking resident and hockey dad Mike Paterson keeps an eye on his 16-yearold daughter Kori out on the ice. “She’s been playing since she was five.” Last season she played triple-A women’s hockey in Lloyminister. Kori was billeted with a family there while attending school in Kitscoty.

Following the session, Kori was sporting a beautiful smile and her bright red hockey bag. She said there was great intensity out on the ice and has thoroughly enjoyed her time training in her home arena. She is hopeful and is crossing her fingers that she will be chosen to make the team this season.

It’s every Canadian kid’s dream to play in the NHL, says Lorne, and through hard work and determination, anything is possible. Just ask the Sutter boys.

Kori Paterson packs her gear out of the Carena following a training session on July 30. (Michelle Pinon/Photo)