Another season of pickup floor hockey is underway and organizers are hoping to draw more players out to their regular game nights.
The informal club is organized by Scott Kaytor and Kelly Creek Community School teacher Corey Gordon.
“We started a little earlier this year,” said Kaytor. The season usually runs from September to June.
The group, which has an average of about 16 players per game, currently meets Monday and Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
“I think the guys would like to play more,” he added. “We would just keep adding nights. The more the merrier.”
Kaytor said they like to keep the number of players per evening to around 18, so everyone has the opportunity to play, but if more players show up, he would take steps to accommodate them. The teams are even and substitute players rotate into the game as needed.
Players throw their hockey sticks into the middle of the gymnasium floor and then they separate them to form sides. “It’s always fair teams,” he added, “and then the two goalies just pick a side.”
Charging $5 per player per night, the group is able to pay for the use of Vancouver Island University Powell River campus gymnasium. This is the first season the club has played at VIU, having previously used other gymnasiums at schools around town.
Kaytor has been helping organize the group for the past six years. “Every five or six years one guy passes it off to the next guy to collect the money and deal with booking the gym space and time.”
Over the years the group has included Powell River Kings’ players, like Sean Maguire, who were looking to increase their cardio and stick-handling skills.
Kaytor said the group always has money left over at the end of the season which is used to help goalies buy gear and is also given to local charities.
“We vote on where we’re going to pass the money to,” he said, adding that in the past they have given it to the schools, Assumption Catholic School and École Côte du Soleil, where they had been playing.
“Basically, bring your stick and your five bucks,” he said.
For more information about the club and how to join, readers can contact Kaytor at 604.485.4874.
