Former North Dundas minor players launch new hockey camp in Winchester
WINCHESTER - Three men who began their hockey
careers in the Township of North Dundas are about to open a summer
hockey camp at the Winchester Arena.
Warren Holmes, Todd Marcellus and Clinton Holmes have pooled their
hockey experience and knowledge to form the ProHockey Skills and
Drills, a high tempo camp whose motto is "Get in the Game".
The school will open with on-ice activities on Mon., Aug 30 and
operate with five one-hour sessions each evening until Fri., Sept.
3.
Local talent
All three men attended North Dundas District High School, played
minor hockey with the North Dundas Minor Hockey Association, skated
with the Winchester Jr. "B" Hawks and went on to play
junior, university and in Marcellus' case professional hockey.
Warren Holmes, who leads the triumvirate, advanced from the North
Dundas Demons to the Rideau St. Lawrence "AA" Kings.
He then played the next four seasons in the OHL with the Oshawa
Generals. During his time with the Generals, he attended a Toronto
Maple Leafs training camp. He finished his formal playing career
as the assistant captain of the Dalhousie University Tigers. Holmes
was also the lead-instructor at a summer hockey school in Halifax.
Todd Marcellus captained the McGill University Redmen hockey team
while earning an Education degree, with a major in Physical Education.
Following his graduation from McGill, Marcellus played nine years
of professional hockey in France, Italy, Germany and the USA.
His last three years of pro hockey were spent as a player-coach
of the Tulsa Oilers. Todd has also coached the Winchester Jr.
"B" Hawks and instructed at hockey schools across the
USA and Canada.
Clinton Holmes is also a former North Dundas Demon and Rideau
St. Lawrence "AA" King. He skated with the Winchester
Hawks for one season before moving on to join Kingston Jr. "A"
Voyageurs where he played for three years. He has also has an
extensive background in hockey school instruction.
More local connections
The three-man ProHockey Skills and Drills team have also included
two other members of the local hockey fraternity in their operation.
Chris Van Bridger, Winchester resident and graphic designer, produced
the ProHockey corporate identity package including the logo, colour
scheme, brochure, flyers and advertisement. Van Bridger is the
owner of Van Bridger Design.
Rob "Razor" Raistrick, former Winchester Jr. "B"
Hawks captain, and owner of Barrhaven Source for Sports is supplying
the player's jerseys and all other apparel.
Mission
Warren Holmes told the Press that he started thinking about
putting together a summer hockey program about three years ago
and approached Marcellus and his brother Clint this winter.
"Both Todd and Clint thought it was a great idea and told
me they were ready to help," said Holmes. "After we
got the idea off the ground we included our friends, "Sid"
[Van Bridger] and "Razor" [Raistrick] - so we are all
local."
Holmes said that it is still early days yet, but the people who
have shown interest in registering have told him that they appreciate
the fact it is a completely local operation.
"We have had just one ad in the Press and the brochures and
flyers will be out this week," he said. "I hope to have
about 100 kids, 30 in each age group."
The camps mission, in part, states its primary goal is to work
diligently to improve every athlete's overall fundamental skill
set, and also teach each player how to apply those fundamental
skills through simulated games and team tactics.
Age categories
Five different age groups will be offered instruction each day
for the length of the camp.
Group, date of birth and ice time are as follows: novice - 2002-03
- 5-6 pm; atom - 2000-01 - 6-7 pm; pee wee -1998-1999 - 7-8 pm;
bantam - 1996-1997 - 8-9 pm; midget/junior - 1990-1995 - 9-10
pm.
The registration fee is $90, and includes a jersey and five on-ice
sessions.
For more information, email prohockeyskillsanddrills@hotmail.com
or call 613-774-3489.