Troy Brouwer and John Erskine Host Capitals Hockey School At Georgian Forest Elementary School
Wednesday, 12.21.2011 / 11:01 AM
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ARLINGTON, Va. – Washington Capitals forward Troy Brouwer, defenseman John Erskine and assistant coach Dean Evason visited Georgian Forest Elementary School in Silver Spring, Md., on Monday, Dec. 19, to host the Capitals Hockey School.
The players began the session fielding questions from students in the school’s gymnasium before directing a floor hockey clinic with 150 fourth- and fifth-grade students. Brouwer and Erskine instructed the students on basic hockey skills such as stick-handling, passing and shooting. The students were then called on to try out the skills in front of their peers. Two students volunteered to be dressed as goaltenders, learning how to put on the equipment and how to handle the goalie stick. Before the kids started the scrimmage, the girls and boys competed in a shootout competition. Brouwer represented the boys’ team and defeated Erskine and the girls’ team 5-4.
Following the shootout competition, the students played alongside the pair of players in a friendly scrimmage. Brouwer played with the boys and came out on top, defeating Erskine and the girls 1-0. The hour-long program concluded with the Capitals donating a set of hockey equipment to the elementary school.
“Everyone was really intense today and had lots of energy doing the drills and in the scrimmage,” said Erskine. “This was a great first hockey school for me,” said Brouwer. “It was nice to see the boys prevail. I really enjoyed the kids’ chanting and their enthusiasm.”
All students who participated in the session received autographs from Brouwer and Erskine, Caps squishy pucks and Hockey 101 booklets. The school also received an official Capitals Hockey School banner to display in their school year-round.
This was the seventh Capitals Hockey School visit this season. The Capitals host two Hockey School visits each month between September and May and donate street hockey equipment to each participating school.
This is the fifth-consecutive year the Capitals have conducted their Hockey School program. The Caps have hosted more than 50 clinics and reached more than 7,500 students in the past four years. Hockey School is a free program, designed to be both instructional and interactive, with the goal of exposing students to floor hockey while teaching proper hockey technique. Each school will receive an official Capitals Hockey School banner to display in their school year-round.
The players began the session fielding questions from students in the school’s gymnasium before directing a floor hockey clinic with 150 fourth- and fifth-grade students. Brouwer and Erskine instructed the students on basic hockey skills such as stick-handling, passing and shooting. The students were then called on to try out the skills in front of their peers. Two students volunteered to be dressed as goaltenders, learning how to put on the equipment and how to handle the goalie stick. Before the kids started the scrimmage, the girls and boys competed in a shootout competition. Brouwer represented the boys’ team and defeated Erskine and the girls’ team 5-4.
Following the shootout competition, the students played alongside the pair of players in a friendly scrimmage. Brouwer played with the boys and came out on top, defeating Erskine and the girls 1-0. The hour-long program concluded with the Capitals donating a set of hockey equipment to the elementary school.
“Everyone was really intense today and had lots of energy doing the drills and in the scrimmage,” said Erskine. “This was a great first hockey school for me,” said Brouwer. “It was nice to see the boys prevail. I really enjoyed the kids’ chanting and their enthusiasm.”
All students who participated in the session received autographs from Brouwer and Erskine, Caps squishy pucks and Hockey 101 booklets. The school also received an official Capitals Hockey School banner to display in their school year-round.
This was the seventh Capitals Hockey School visit this season. The Capitals host two Hockey School visits each month between September and May and donate street hockey equipment to each participating school.
This is the fifth-consecutive year the Capitals have conducted their Hockey School program. The Caps have hosted more than 50 clinics and reached more than 7,500 students in the past four years. Hockey School is a free program, designed to be both instructional and interactive, with the goal of exposing students to floor hockey while teaching proper hockey technique. Each school will receive an official Capitals Hockey School banner to display in their school year-round.
