Hockey Team Visits Elementary School - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Hockey Team Visits Elementary School

The Minot Minotauros hockey team took a break from the ice and tried out a different set of skills in area schools this week.

Jennifer Thorgramson joined the third graders at McKinley Elementary, where they were practicing with the pros.

McKinley kids shared a few life lessons with the Minotauros, while the team taught students a few tricks.

The NAHL American junior ice hockey team traded blades for plastic sticks for a hockey workshop at McKinley Elementary School.

(Matthew Audette, Minotauros Defense) "We look forward to doing it more often. I did it through high school and through out my years back in my home town."

Matthew Audette is from Thief River Falls, Minnesota.

Audette slipped onto the ice parallel to his career pursuit in teaching.

Lesson one: Skills.

Lesson two: Relay.

Then, it's time to play.

(Matthew Audette, Minotauros Defense) "There's always a few kids that have played hockey before but a lot of kids don't know the sport of hockey. So that's why we come out here and tell them about it and they get to learn a little bit about it."

(Konnor Guthrie, 3rd Grade McKinley) "I've played before."

(Daisy VanWinkle, 3rd Grade McKinley) "Sometimes in gym."

The third graders said it's fun playing hockey with the 'big kids.'

(Konnor Guthrie, 3rd Grade McKinley) "You have someone actually pass it to you instead of someone who does not pass a lot."

(Ashten Heilman, 3rd Grade McKinley) "A lot of skills about going around people."

(Daisy VanWinkle, 3rd Grade McKinley) "How to pass the puck around using your stick."

(Matthew Audette, Minotauros Defense) "I want to be a teacher so it's something great for me."

The Minotauros offered a warm welcome at the door:

(Ashton Heilman, 3rd Grade McKinley) "They said, 'You're good at playing hockey.'"

And students reminiscence about the last Minotauros game:

(Konnor Guthrie, 3rd Grade McKinley) "It was awesome!"

And everyone leaves happy.

(Matthew Audette, Minotauros Defense) "We always like helping out. Hockey in schools is a great thing, it should be in all schools. I thought it was a great opportunity for me to get out there."

In Minot, Jennifer Thorgramson, KX News.

The Minotauros stopped in at McKinley several days before the hockey scrimmage to read with kids in the classroom.