Page 14 - Florida Sentinel 9-18-15 Edition

Local
Lightning Owner To Spend $6M On Community Hockey
JEFF VINIK
With about 350 children in attendance, Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik made an announcement re- garding major community hockey at Amalie Arena. The new initiative is to take place over the next five years.
Joining Vinik and the children from local Boys & Girls Clubs and YMCAs, the event featured players Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat, Nikita Kucherov, Jason Garrison, Braydon, Coburn, Matt Carle, JT Brown, and Eric Condra, along with Lightning CEO and President, Steve Griggs; Executive Director of Community Hockey Devel- opment, Jay Feaster, and Vice President and General Manager, Steve Yzerman.
Vinik wants 100,000 area children to learn the skills he never did, including how to skate. Over the next five years, the team will invest $6 million and partner with the National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players Association to intro- duce a five-step plan de- signed to introduce kids to the basics of hockey. That will include distributing Light- ning-themed sticks and balls for street hockey for children from the third through fifth grades, and providing 10,000
hours of hockey training to students and physical educa- tion coaches, including those who coach high school hockey programs.
Other steps in the plan will increase the number of 7- to-13 year olds who are regis- tered with USA Hockey by 1,000, more than doubling the existing number; assign club players, alumni and community leaders to mentor 100 at-risk youths, and create a 10-team junior varsity hockey program.
Lightning officials said they also want to help stu- dents develop strategy-based skills that translate to scholastics.
Lightning Vice President of Human Resources, Keith Harris, said the goal is to get hockey sticks to as many kids as possible.
“This discussion started months ago. We want to spread the love of hockey to everyone.
“Although the Lightning have had some success, Tampa is still not a tradi- tional hockey town. We want to get the kids excited about hockey, and we visit area schools and we also visit com- munity centers. We also sponsor a group of kids to come to the arena to watch some games.”
Blake-Middleton Rivalry Returns
Usually when you talk about high school rivalries from the past in Hillsborough County, most people think you’re talking about Hillsbor- ough, Plant, and Robinson High Schools.
When it comes to the Howard W. Blake Yellow Jack- ets and the George S. Middle- ton Tigers, there is no greater rivalry.
For those of you old enough to remember, you can recall the sound of feet stomping on the old wooden bleachers at Phillip’s Field and the small stadium being packed to the rim.
You can also recall a level of anticipation and excitement felt nowhere else in the city, and if you missed the Blake- Middleton game, you were an outcast for the rest of the year.
The maroon and gold, and black and gold clad bands put on half time shows that a lot of people are still stalking abut today.
Beginning Sunday, Septem- ber 20th, “Heritage Classic Week” begins, leading to the
PHILLIP’S FIELD
game that will be contested September 25th at Blake High School.
“Heritage Classic Week” will begin this Sunday with a church service at Central Bap- tist Church, 9 a.m., corner of Tampa Street and Floribraska Avenue.
On Monday, September 21st, Alumni Visitation Day will be held with today’s Blake High School welcoming Don Thomp- son and Blake High School graduates to Heritage Classic Weekfrom10a.m.until1p.m.
On Tuesday, Blake Day will be held at the Village Inn, 215 North Dale Mabry from 6 a.m. until 2 p. m., and everyone is asked to support the Athletic Booster Club by eating at the
Village Inn. A portion of your bill will be donated to the Ath- letic Boosters.
On Wednesday, there will be “Spirit Day” where everyone will be asked to wear their Blake tee-shirt to school.
On Thursday, everyone will be able to celebrate Middleton and Blake in their own special way, and on Friday there will beapeprallyat2p.m.and then kickoff for the big game at 7 p.m.
Heritage Classic tee-shirts will be available, and through- out this week, everyone can buy tickets, souvenirs, or a souvenir journal.
For more information, con- tact Mrs. Frances Jennings at (813) 546-7789.
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