ROCHELLE – Multiple Chicago Blackhawks youth hockey coaches paid a visit to the seventh-graders at Rochelle Middle School Thursday for a special donation and hockey clinic.
The Chicago Blackhawks G.O.A.L. (Get Out And Learn) program travels to schools and community centers throughout the Chicagoland area to introduce hockey at the grassroots level to kids who may not otherwise have the opportunity.
In order for the program to come to Rochelle Middle School, Jason Deutsch, a math teacher, former hockey player and Chicago Blackhawks fan, applied for the grant program online.
Once the school was chosen, some of the teachers were able to attend a training at the United Center this past October where they participated in different activities and then got to see the Blackhawks morning skate.

Chicago Blackhawks youth coaches watch and help the kids as they practice dribbling the floor hockey ball from one end of the gym to the other, working on keeping their heads up and eyes looking ahead. (Photo by Andrew Heiserman)

Along with teachers attending the training and youth coaches coming to the school for the clinic, the Blackhawks also made a generous donation of floor hockey equipment to the school.
“The school is very thankful for their donation of 30 floor hockey sticks, 30 balls, 30 pennies of different colors, and two new goals,” explained Deutsch. “This donation is also one that will be reoccurring each year.”
In the past, the school would offer an intramural floor hockey program for the students but had to stop doing so when the equipment began to wear out and they didn’t have the resources to purchase more.

During Thursday’s clinic, there were five Chicago Blackhawk youth coaches that lead the children in different skill building exercises ranging from learning the correct way to hold the stick to dribbling back and forth across the gym working on keeping their eyes and head up looking ahead. Finally, after a several drills, the coaches and students played a scrimmage game against each other, rotating players in and out every five minutes or so.
“We are very appreciative of the organization and the NHL players association for coming out and continuing to do this for us,” expressed Deutsch.
With the donation, Rochelle Middle School is not only hoping to bring back their intramural hockey team, but also to extend the offer to the sixth and eighth-grade classes as well.