Story courtesy of www.plymouthwhalers.com
Tuesday was an important day for a lot of people.
For some, it’s Election Day, as US politicians wait to see if they’ve won another term or head to some other line of work.
Many children in the Plymouth-Canton area enjoyed a day off school on Tuesday, meaning they had a chance to spend some quality time with their families.
A few families decided to spend some quality time with the Plymouth Whalers in a one-day Sticks and Pucks session.
Sticks and Pucks with the Whalers incorporate an hour of supervised skill sessions taught by Whalers players followed by a fun scrimmage for the kids against the Whalers. There’s plenty of fun and interaction for all involved.
Although they weren’t elected, Tyler G. Brown, Joe Gaynor, Garrett Meurs, Austin Levi, Ryan Hayes and Scott Wedgewood (who was then replaced by AJ Jenks as Wedgewood played goal for the day) were appointed captains of teams of six to eight young skaters. The other Whalers worked with the appointed captains.
With Plymouth associate coach Joe Stefan and Compuware Midget Major coach Geroge Daniel directing traffic, the hour-and-a half-long session went efficiently with no wasted time.
Dan Whelan of Plymouth comes from a hockey background. He grew up locally and played for the University of Michigan-Dearborn twenty years ago, skating with the local players like Larry Pilut, Joe Burton, Doug Garbarz and current Saginaw Spirit General Manager and Head Coach Todd Watson.
Whelan’s son – Danny, Jr. (6) – worked his second Sticks and Pucks and camp session with the Whalers today.
“He loves this, in fact this is his second time skating with the Whalers,” Whelan said. “He was here in a camp over the summer and couldn’t wait to get back.”
Children seem to gravitate to OHL players and the Whalers have a keen local following.
“All the contact we’ve had with the Whalers has been a great experience for Danny,” said Whelan. “They are so approachable. We ran into a couple of Whalers a couple of weeks ago at a Red Wings game and Danny went over and recognized Austin Levi and Jamie Devane, so they came over and said hi to us.”
While some kids like the Whalers as a group, eight-year-old Joey Mandel of Plymouth came to see one player.
“Matt Hackett,” said MaryAnn Mandel. “Joey loves the Whalers and he loves coming to the games. Joey was here last year.”
What brought him back?
“Matt Hackett,” she said with a laugh. “He loves Matt and loves all the players.”
A few seconds later, Joey Mandel skated in on Hackett and tried to score on his favorite player.
Although he likes AJ Jenks and Beau Schmitz, seven-year-old Dominic Kazimierczuk of South Lyon studies the Whalers intently at home.
“He knows just about all the Whalers,” explained father Vince Kazimierczuk. “He’s got their (trading) cards and every night he flips through them. I asked him today (about) someone’s last name and he blurted it out, along with their number.”
Dominic’s father was asked what attracts him to the Sticks and Pucks session.
“It’s a great opportunity to go out and skate with the bigger guys,” Kazimierczuk said. “The Whalers show that they can make it to the next level.”
Activities were not restricted to the ice. Whalers players and their session teammates had a pizza party afterwards and everyone who attended the session received tickets to a future Whalers game, so they could see the players in action.
Dan Snyder played four seasons in the OHL with the Owen Sound Platers and was a member of the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers in 2002-03 before he passed away due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
