PORT McNEILL — A pair of hockey skills camps are coming to Port McNeill's Chilton Regional Arena, and there is incentive for young players to register early for both of them.
From July 4-8 former Port McNeill skater and current NHL player Clayton Stoner will bring the Vancouver Island Hockey Clinic to the arena for a week of instruction for players ranging from 7 to 16 years of age.
The following week, July 11-15, coaching and teaching veteran Lou Lemire returns for the third year with the Lou Lemire Summer Hockey Skills Camp for ages six and over.
At its annual general meeting last month, Port McNeill Minor Hockey announced Strategic Forest Management is sponsoring $50 toward entry to either camp for the first 20 players to register who are also registered with the Port McNeill Minor Hockey Association by June 1.
In addition, all additional players registered with the association by June 1 will receive the same $50 discount to the camps courtesy of Port McNeill Minor Hockey.
Stoner's Vancouver Island Hockey Clinic will feature pro hockey players in separate sessions for age groups 7-10, 11-13 and 14-16. Cost for the full week is $395, and registration and additional info is available online at www.progressivehockey.com.
The Lou Lemire Summer Hockey Skills camp offers additional discount incentives for early registration. The fee for skaters signed up by May 1 is $370; the cost goes to $395 for registration from May 2-June 1, and camp fees for those signing up after June 1 will be $425.
The camp includes power skating, individual skills and off-ice strength and stability training sessions. It wraps up with double ice sessions and a pizza party on the final day.
Slo-pitch tourney set
The annual Umpires Icebreaker Slo-pitch Tournament in Port Hardy will kick off the North Island season the weekend of May 6-8, David Deans of Port Hardy Slo-pitch confirmed this week.
The tournament invites all local teams to take part in games throughout the weekend at the ballfield complex at Beaver Harbour Park.
Deans is also inviting all players and teams interested in taking part in the Port Hardy Slo-pitch league season to sign up by dropping by North Star Cycle and Sports on Market Street in Port Hardy or calling him at 250-949-7221.
Youth baseball
Registration is now underway for youth ball programs in both Port Hardy and Port McNeill.
Port Hardy youngsters can register throughout April at Jim's Hardy Sports in the Thunderbird Mall. Registration fee is $45. The season will begin in early May and run for six weeks.
In Port McNeill, registration has been extended at Timberland Sports for the local youth ball program. For additional info, call Tammi Beek at 250-956-9852.