Image Credit: CFJC Today
GIVING BACK TO THE GAME

Kamloops-born WHL’ers help out their local Peter Puck Hockey program

Oct 13, 2020 | 4:46 PM

KAMLOOPS — It’s important to remember, whether it’s hockey or life, that everyone starts somewhere. For countless local hockey players, that start came in Peter Puck with Dianna Hartnell.

“I think this is my 30th year,” Hartnell told CFJC Today.

Even two of the top players to come out of Kamloops in recent years — Tyson Galloway of the Calgary Hitmen and Blazers rising star Logan Stankoven — got their starts in Hartnell’s Peter Puck program.

“This is where it all started,” Stankoven says. “This is where the love for the game all started for me.”

“It’s fun teaching [the kids] how to skate and how to stickhandle,” Galloway says. “It’s different than what we would do — Xs and Os.”

Both Logan and Tyson were first-round picks in the WHL Bantam Draft. They also both remember the excitement they felt when older players would help out at their Peter Puck practices.

“When I’d see guys like out here, I’d look up to [them],” Galloway says. “It’s good to give back to those kids.”

“When I was younger, I’d always look up to the instructors who came out,” Stankoven says. “[The kids] are always fun to be around.”

Hartnell certainly appreciates having a couple of up-and-coming WHL’ers who she can call upon when she needs some help.

“I’m proud of them,” she says. “They’re like Peter Puck stars to me. I’m very proud of them.”

With Tyson playing in Calgary, it’s a little harder for these Peter Puck-sters to see him play; they certainly know who Logan is.

“I like Logan,” one little player named Bo tells CFJC Sports. Bo says he’s seen Logan suit up for the Blazers “a little bit.” When asked if Logan was a pretty good player, Bo just nodded.

“I think they’re pretty good at playing,” Brody, another Peter Puck player says about his coaches. Brody responded with a hearty “Yeah!” when asked if it was cool his coaches started in Dianna’s Peter Puck class.

“A few of them have come up to me within the past couple of weeks and talked to me and said, ‘Hi’,” Logan says. “It’s pretty special, having some kids out there that look up to me. I’m really fortunate in that way, to really have that hometown support. I’m really thankful.”

For Dianna, there’s one reason she’s kept coming back for the past three decades.

“The kids,” she says. “The kids learning to skate, and play hockey and turning out like Logan and other players who have gone through.”

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