On Saturday, August 3, we hosted Hockey Clinic for the 2nd time in this term in Hiwaki open-air artificial lawn stadium in Kagoshima Prefecture.    

60 kids from elementary, Jr. high and high schools participated in the event on a scorching hot day and brought energy that burnt off the heat.  

Kagoshima Prefecture is where Akiko Ota, a player of Red Sparks, was born. We were welcomed by many people, including the city mayor, as Red Sparks hostes Hokey Clinic for the first time. Ota was happy to have an opportunity to give back to her city through Hokey Clinic and to see kids enjoy playing hockey.    

During Hockey Clinic, we made sure to hydrate ourselves frequently and played hockey in 3 groups; kids from elementary schools, and boys and girls from Jr. high/high schools separately.   

The group made with kids from elementary schools focused on practicing dribbling, and each of the boys’ and girls’ group from Jr. high/high schools completed the practice program that, Mr. Hawgood, the coach, developed, and played 30-min mini games that Red Sparks players invented.

At the end of the practice, we had a study session on hydration. We asked quizzes to teach participants how important hydration is. There were questions that almost everyone answered correctly, which made us feel that kids are receiving the good knowledge about hydration as summers get scorching hot in recent years.   

Coca-Cola Red Sparks Hockey Club will continue to cherish the opportunities to work with the local people in activities to communicate how fun hockey is, and how important hydration is so that they can enjoy sports safely even in the heat.