The U8 Minor Development Bradford Bulldogs team hosted a pancake breakfast Saturday for the U5 Timbits and First Shift intro-to-hockey players.
The U5 kids are kids who are three and four years old starting out in hockey, and the First Shift is an intro-to-hockey program designed for six- to 10-year-olds starting out in the sport.
The U8 MD Bulldogs are a team of six- and seven-year-olds who have been playing for a few years. The coaches and parents are hoping to develop well-rounded players and community members. The goal is not only to develop hockey skills but also to develop a strong sense of community. The players are given opportunities to give back to the community through selfless acts such as this pancake breakfast and food drives for the Helping Hand Food Bank.
Through hosting this event, the U8 team is showing the younger players who are new to hockey all of the benefits of joining and continuing to play through their childhoods and possibly beyond.
The event took place at the BWG Leisure Centre. Parents cooked up the pancakes, sausage and bacon, served by the U8 MD Bulldogs, that disappeared quickly when the kids came off the ice. There was even a surprise visit from Boomer, the Bradford Bulldogs mascot, and Stormy, the South Simcoe Storm mascot.