LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — While the Golden Knights' Stanley Cup playoff run is long over, the team's effort in the Las Vegas community never ends.
No stranger to giving back, the organization is pushing it forward this summer with its annual summer hockey clinics. The VGK's youth development coaches and the team mascot, Chance, are visiting recreation centers across the valley to teach the game.
WATCH | Behind the scenes of the VGK youth clinic
On Monday morning at YMCA Skyview in North Las Vegas, Channel 13 was at the second of eight total clinics going on from late May to early July.
"The kids are having a great time," VGK director of youth hockey programs and fan development Sheri Hudspeth said. "We just want to keep the kids moving, get sticks into as many kids’ hands as possible. Just teaching a little bit of hockey to the kids.”
The children participating in these clinics are pre-selected, so these events are not open to the public. Instead, it's the chance for Chance and company to show kids what the game is all about.
"A lot of these kids have never seen hockey before, so if they can learn from us and learn from Chance and have a great experience, it's a great day for hockey," Hudspeth said.
The Knights visit elementary schools during the school year with some players taking a break from their season to help show kids how to shoot.
When school is out of session for the summer, the VGK hit community centers with original misfit Deryk Engelland often attending.
"Just trying to access as many kids as possible throughout Las Vegas and hitting all the pockets of Las Vegas that we can and just trying to have them interact with the Knights," Hudspeth said. “We just want to grow the game and create fans for life."
