KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — It was an exciting day for kids north of Kalamazoo as the Kalamazoo Wings hosted their first-ever “Game On” camp.
“As an organization, we wanted to get out into the community and introduce the joy of hockey to kids who don't have the opportunity to play hockey or don't know much about the sport,” K-Wings head coach Joel Martin said.
Ice hockey isn't necessarily a sport for everyone, so Martin has been instrumental in promoting the program.
“Ice is not something that's easy to come by,” Martin explains. “It costs a lot of money, but for us, street hockey can be played anywhere. You can play in your driveway or on a tennis court.”
NHL Street Founded in 2023, we are dedicated to providing the fun, exercise, friendship and memories of youth sports to kids ages 6-16 and their families. It is a more affordable, community-based sports model that allows kids across North America to learn to play hockey.
Since its inception, NHL STREET has grown to include more than 100 league operators and more than 2,500 players across the U.S. and Canada.
K-Wing Announcement in late June The organization is the first professional hockey team to become the official operator of NHL STREET.
Dozens of kids attended K-Wings' first-ever free youth camp at Lacron Park on Wednesday morning, marking the start of NHL STREET's growing investment in local youth.
The team partnered with the Kalamazoo Parks and Recreation Department and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Michigan to provide 31 youth ages 7-12 from underserved areas with the opportunity to learn and play street hockey.
“There's a lot of great people involved in the sport of hockey, so just giving (young people) the opportunity to see that and getting them active, getting them off the couch, getting them off the TV and video games and just getting them active from an early age, I think that's really important for their health,” Martin said.
During the camp, I was also given the opportunity to coach the K-Wings players for a day.
“It was amazing to see kids who were so nervous before the game, like, 'Oh my God, what is this? What do I do? I don't even know how to hold a stick,' and then by the end of the game they're scoring goals, clapping their hands and having fun,” K-Wings defenseman Collin Saccoman said.
Through a partnership with Jersey Mike's, each participant who attended Wednesday's camp was able to take home a jersey, stick and ball to continue the fun at home.
The K-Wings will host their second “Game On” camp for select youth from underserved areas on Aug. 17. The organization plans to expand the program and hold more camps throughout Kalamazoo in the summer of 2025. The organization also plans to officially launch the NHL Street Kalamazoo League.
For more information on dates, locations and registration information, please visit K-Wings' Social Media Pages in spring.
