BBBS invites boys to play alongside Terriers

Boys hoping to play some hockey with the Portage Terriers will soon be able to do so.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Plains (BBBS) will work alongside the Dogs to allow boys on their waitlist to play alongside the Terriers for some floor hockey. Executive director Dawn Froese says, after running the pilot program last year, it was an easy decision to bring it back.

"Our boys in our program really enjoyed it," explains Froese. "Especially, we had one who was very shy and a little anxious. One week, his mom had to stay there the whole time, and he barely talked to us. The next week (after playing hockey), he came in, and he was talking a mile a minute. He was ready to go, and we just saw him come out of his shell and become more comfortable, and more confident."

She adds, the Terriers that will be playing floor hockey are Austin Peters, Hayden Lacquette, Kian Clader, Michael Stubbs, and Noah Wagner.

Froese says they will focus on ensuring the boys playing are all in the same age group. She doesn't like the idea of a 14-year-old playing with a 7-year-old, as it can cause issues.

"It's really exciting," says Froese when asked about the Terriers being willing to play with the boys. "They have a really good understanding of giving back to the community. They're being supported by the community so that they can play hockey, a game that they love, and in return, they understand that it's important for them to help."

If you're interested in adding your son to the waitlist, you can find contact information here.