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Monday, May 29, 2000
IceRays showing kids the ropes
By Kris Claybrook
Caller-Times
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| Michelle Christenson/Caller-Times |
| Corpus Christi IceRay Dustin McArthur leads a group run during a recent Training with the Pros workout. |
Andrew Longoria, 11, is participating in sports for the first time in his life.
The Casa Linda student spent last season going to IceRays games at Memorial Coliseum, cheering his favorite player, IceRays forward Quinten Van Horlick. So when Van Horlick appeared at his doorstep one day with a registration form to the team's dry-land hockey camp, he jumped at the chance.
"He has never been interested in sports before," said Andrew's mother, Anna Longoria, "but he is all excited about this. He is so excited, he wants to sign up to play hockey."
While running, skating, driving or sailing past Sherrill Park on Shoreline Drive during the past few weeks, many have noticed the troop of youngsters dressed in blue and white T-shirts, battling the wind and heat while training with the hopes of becoming a professional athlete.
With the third week of "Training with the Pros" completed, Corpus Christi-area youths are discovering hockey players work hard to maintain their positions as professionals.
More than 40 youths have participated in one or all nine sessions offered by IceRays Dustin McArthur, Brad Wingfield and Van Horlick. Boys and girls came into the camp with different levels of hockey experience, but it didn't make any difference: they soon found they were equal and had to do only one thing - work.
The IceRays have worked too. When Van Horlick learned that Andrew had missed the camp's pre-registration, he offered to hand-deliver the signup forms.
"I was impressed Quinten came out out and brought the application and met Andrew," Anna Longoria said. "That meant a lot. The guys are great with the kids."
Working with pros
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| Michelle Christenson/Caller-Times |
| Six-year-old Nick Landino does push-ups during the Train with the Pros training camp at Sherrill Park. |
The sessions are designed to give the participants a look at some of the physical training the IceRays go through to keep fit during the off-season.
Kevin and Debbie Adair, IceRays season ticket holders for the past two years, signed their sons, Jordan, 7, and Blair, 9, up for all 15 sessions. The camp has quickly made want-to-be Junior Hockey members of the two.
The first three weeks of camp have gone smoothly for Van Horlick, Wingfield and McArthur, other than the Gatorade cooler and pylons being stolen last week.
"The camp is going better than expected," McArthur said. "The kids are having fun and everyone is having a good time, and that is why were are here."
A peek into practice
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| Michelle Christenson/Caller-Times |
| Corpus Christi IceRay Quinten Van Horlick (right) leads participants on a run up the seawall stairs during a recent workout. |
A typical day for the younger group, ages six to 11, starts with a quick jog from Municipal Auditorium to Sherrill Park, where stretches and warm-ups are followed by relays.
Van Horlick, an IceRays forward, gives instruction on how the first relay is going to be run.
"OK guys," Van Horlick said, "we're going to run to the cone, and on the way back, you are going to run backwards."
Wide-eyed, the group responds by groaning. But they do the task with some ease, although most have a little difficulty running backward.
The next relay is varied a little.
"Now we are going to run backward to the cone and backward on the way back," Van Horlick said.
This relay doesn't seem as easy to the group, which simply yells a collective "Nooooo." But they do it anyway. During the drill, Van Horlick, Wingfield and McArthur offer words of encouragement.
Pats on the back
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| Michelle Christenson/Caller-Times |
| Josh Mican, 11, takes a quick break after completing a set of push-ups during a recent Train with the Pros workout at Sherrill Park. |
Van Horlick describes the next relay by telling the group to run to the cone, do a somersault, then another somersault, and then run back to the line. They giggle as he demonstrates, and they become excited by the idea of trying out their gymnastic skills.
McArthur stands next to a line making sure the directions are clear and people are paying attention. He restates the instructions to Nick Landino, 6, whose attention is diverted elsewhere for the moment.
"Did you hear that, Landino? Somersault up and somersault back," McArthur said.
"Yeah, yeah, somersault," said Nick, cutting him off, throwing his arms in the air and rolling his eyes.
McArthur laughed, ruffled Nick's hair and gave him a pat on the back.
By the end of the day, the kids had lost what little shyness they had coming into a new situation with the idols they had watched on ice all season.
Two boys jokingly yelled to Wingfield, who is known for his fighting on the ice: "Wingfield is a wimp." But they know how far they can go, and the taunting doesn't last long.
The parents sit on the sidelines and chat, cheer and even participate in a relay or two.
Having to train
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| Michelle Christenson/Caller-Times |
| Seven-year-old Oliver Serrao (left) is congratulated by Cassidy Lange, 10, after a drill during the IceRays Train with the Pros camp on Wednesday. |
The older group, however, has a different agenda. They actually have to train.
"The difference in the camps is with the older kids, we focus more on strength and conditioning," McArthur said. "They understand the hard work needed to become a pro, but we try to keep the younger kids' attention with relays and games."
They start off, much like the six-to-11 group, with stretching exercises, but then they move on to harder drills, like running on the seawall along Shoreline Drive.
The IceRays constantly offer support, and tell the youths how the drills they are doing relates to what the IceRays do for conditioning.
Wingfield yells during 'burpies' - an exercise where the person jumps up with arms in the air and then jumps down to the ground and goes directly into a pushup - "We do this in practice."
The concentration level is high, but the group is not too young to cheat or relax on a few of the exercises. But that doesn't last long, with three serious players watching.
Getting in shape
Nick Campbell, 7, a member of the six-to-11 age group, reflects back to the first day of camp.
"When I got home, I passed out," Nick said, throwing his hands up in exasperation.
Nick Landino, who according to himself is a future hockey player, comments on various aspects of the camp.
"My favorite part is the jumping jacks, but I don't like the sit-ups," Nick said. He was sweating, but still smiling.
Nick Landino is a member of the Junior Hockey League's Ice Bears, a youth hockey organization that plays its games at Memorial Coliseum, on the IceRays' rink.
"(The camp) gives me exercise and I can get in shape for hockey," Nick said.
Valuable training
Carroll High School students Alyson Weber, 16, and Jennifer Morgan, 14, also are enrolled for the camp. Both Alyson and Jennifer started the camp last week, in the older group, and were able to jump right into things.
"It was hard and I am tired, but it was a good work out," Alyson said.
Alyson and Jennifer did not let the fact they are girls dissuade them from enrolling in a camp put on by hockey players.
"I knew we could do it," Alyson said. "We did and we had fun."
Jennifer plays hockey and is the only girl on her league team. As a forward, she appreciates the skills of Van Horlick, McArthur and Wingfield and hopes to gain valuable lessons.
Randy Baucom said he hopes to obtain skills for the Ice Bears' peewee league.
"It gives me exercise and has helped me with my game," Randy said,
Ten-year old Cassidy Lange, who is handicapped and walks with crutches, cannot fully participate. But he has the important role of being a referee and motivator for the younger group. He takes his job very seriously reminding members when they should walk back to the line instead of run.
Cassidy hands out high-fives and smiles of encouragement, doing a great job, according to his favorite IceRay, Van Horlick. Although Cassidy's twin brother Zack participates in the relays, Cassidy shows no sign of favoritism during the drills. He encourages everyone.
"It's fun," Cassidy said. "I want to be a hockey player when I grow up."
Staff writer Kris Claybrook can be reached at 886-3617 or by e-mail at claybrookk@caller.com
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