Community Hockey Day at South Kent

KENT — On Friday, Nov. 22, South Kent School presented a day of hockey games with Seacoast Performance Academy from New Hampshire.

Exciting hockey for sure, but the underlying theme of “community” became the real highlight. Seacoast, better known as “SPA,” is described on its website as, “The most comprehensive and intensive hockey specific program in the United States.”

SPA brought teams in three different age categories and played the equally matched South Kent Cardinals.

The promise of this community event brought together a great group of family and friends from both teams. Not the usual stiff, divisive bleacher seating with visitor and home team fans at opposite ends.

Guests watched from the warming room.Lans Christensen

The hockey community gathered happily in the Stockdale Arena warming room for socializing and game watching. Hot chocolate, cookies and kids’ games kept everyone warm and comfortable — and happily meeting new friends.

Stephanie Thompson, from Columbus, Ohio, was there to cheer her son Sawyer, a Seacoast team member. She was “so happy to have had the time to see the beautiful campus, and the surrounding area.” She added it was “actually my first time in Connecticut.”

The hockey community certainly grew both larger and closer with this successful event.