But that doesn’t mean things are all bad. In fact, quite the opposite – and especially when you have the kind of program the PHA has.
With the Canadian Sport School Hockey League season on indefinite hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Caronport-based academy will be focussing on player development and improvement for the foreseeable future. And that has PHA president Justin Simpkins looking forward to seeing what comes of their plan, not only for themselves but for CSSHL teams throughout the west.
“Often times for us, we get a few months of heavy training in once the season is over, but this is a unique experience where we’re going to get that few months of training in before the season,” Simpkins said. “And if you look at it the right way, it could lead to some pretty beautiful hockey once the puck drops, whenever it happens.
“As an academy, that’s our bread-and-butter, the development chances are being front-loaded for us this season. We’re coming together now, we’re doing all of our testing and screening and on the development side getting all our programming together as a team.”
That’s the idea behind having their players currently taking part in classes at Briercrest Christian Academy in addition to their regular ice times at Barkman Arena.
When things do get going – and things remain very much up in the air with regards to the CSSHL and decisions to be made by various provincial health and hockey organizations, including the Sask Health Authority and the Sask Hockey Association – there will be a handful of changes to their program.
The PHA will be fielding teams in the Under-16 Prep and Under-17 Prep leagues this season, with Micah Abbott returning as head coach of the U16 crew alongside assistant and PHA director of hockey operations Erik Robitaille.
The U17 team will be coached by former Swift Current Broncos captain Dustin Friesen, with former Medicine Hat Tigers and St. Francis Xavier standout – and recent Moose Jaw Fire Department hire – Kevin Undershute joining the program as an assistant.
Coaching legend Lorne Molleken remains with the program as the director of coach development and mentorship, and Moose Jaw Warriors assistant Scott King returns as the director of development for the Academy and as a skills coach.
And when it comes to their crew of players, well, things are as positive as ever.
“We’re excited,” Simpkins said. “We have 38 student athletes who are here on campus, and the biggest thing with all of them is they’re eager to learn and they want to develop. With our front-loaded development this year, I expect we’ll see some great growth for these young men.”
