Late NFL Coach, George Allen once said, “What you do in the off-season determines what you do in the regular season.” While there is no doubt that George’s off-season looked much different than HEROS’, his words ring true, which is why summers at HEROS are full of hard work and preparation for the next season.
Most of HEROS’ regular programming ends in March – that’s when those all-important team celebrations are planned, and players can reflect on all that they’ve accomplished over the course of the season – but once the season comes to a close, it’s critical to ensure HEROS players are set up for success when they come back in the fall.
“Gear has to be cleaned, bursaries assigned, we have to plan and budget for the following season,” explains HEROS Executive Director, Kevin Hodgson. “There’s always lots to do in the summer, and every bit of it is an important piece of what makes HEROS successful throughout the hockey season.”
Of course, one of the most important pieces of preparation in the summer is ensuring HEROS’ equipment is cleaned and ready to go the next year. While hockey equipment is generally a little stinky, sanitizing gear is extra important for HEROS as equipment is used by new players each year.
Once the cleaning is done, each program has to check and maintain the gear, ensuring to sharpen skates, replace screws in helmets, and swap what isn’t safe to be used anymore.
This process ensures that every new HERO starts the season healthy and safe, with a completely sanitized set of equipment. It also helps us make the most out of each piece of equipment, keeping players geared up for as many seasons as possible.
“Keeping the gear in such good shape is essential. Every summer, we spend upwards of $45,000 on cleaning and maintaining it all to ensure we have enough equipment for the hundreds of kids that rely on it year-after-year,” continued Kevin.
Thankfully, the off-season doesn’t always revolve around cleaning stinky equipment.
The spring and summer are a busy time for players as well, taking part in graduations, participating in volunteer opportunities, and sometimes even attending a trip with their HEROS teammates. These are all important milestones for players, and it’s important that HEROS support them through each of these big moments in their journeys.
“Every year I’m astonished at the number of kids that invite their coaches to graduations or ask for their help when applying to college. That’s huge. That’s what we’re here for and the whole point we try to make when we say HEROS is bigger than hockey,” says Norm Flynn, HEROS Founder.
So far this off-season, 16 young people have been approved for a HEROS bursary, a group of players has attended the Willie O’Ree All Star Weekend, some volunteered at the Air Canada Foundation’s annual golf tournament, and three HEROS were able to experience the most magical place on earth with a trip to Disney World, courtesy of our friends at Dreams Take Flight.
Each off-season brings new opportunities for HEROS – both for players, as well the organization as a whole – and we couldn’t be more grateful for the support of our partners and community members that make all of this possible.
Want to join them? You can sign up to make monthly donations by clicking here. It’s the quickest and easiest way to make a lasting impact on HEROS, all year long.
Of course, there are lots of ways you can support HEROS this off-season – you can have your business inquire about becoming a partner, run your own fundraiser, or register to be a volunteer this upcoming season. contact Josh at josh@heroshockey.com to learn more.
However you support HEROS this off-season, just know that you’re giving hundreds of young people across Canada everything they need to play, learn, and grow through the game of hockey.