Hailey Wickenheiser Commends Kruger Big Assist Program, Advises Aspiring Hockey Players to Chase Their Dreams
The legendary Hayley Wickenheiser has thrown her support behind the Kruger Big Assist initiative, a program aimed at enhancing hockey experiences for kids.
Joined by her former Canada women’s ice hockey teammate, Angela James as special guests at the 1-day clinic held at the Scotia Bank Arena on Sunday, Wickenheiser celebrated the positive impact of the program.
During an interview with SportsRation, Wickenheiser expressed her profound appreciation for the Kruger Products Big Assist program, underlining its pivotal role in enriching the hockey experience for participants of all backgrounds.
“Well, the Kruger big assist is a great program. It’s given away $800,000. You can nominate your minor hockey association if you see areas where they’re working to improve hockey for kids. So inclusivity, opportunities for kids, newcomers to the game.”
Highlighting the challenges of making hockey accessible, especially for those new to the country or unfamiliar with the sport, Wickenheiser lauded Kruger for proactively addressing these issues through their impactful initiative.
“So these are the type of programs like Kruger is doing with the big assists, and it’s all about the assist, which is, I think you get the greatest joy as a player when you set up a goal, or at least I did, versus scoring one. And Kruger’s doing a great job with this program.”
Wickenheiser elaborated on her deep connection with the program, citing its alignment with her values and beliefs.
“Well, I think for me, one of the things I loved about hockey was making plays. And when you’re on the ice as a player, you make a great play, and another player scores the ball to finish it off. It’s the best feeling in the world, and the same is off the ice.
“I see it in medicine every day. The chance to be able to help people and watch people go above and beyond, I think we’re on this planet, we are on earth to help people and to make lives better, and I think that this program is part of that, using hockey as a vehicle of good. And that’s something that I’m proud to be a part of.”
Transitioning from her commendation, Wickenheiser imparted valuable advice to aspiring hockey players, emphasizing the crucial elements of hard work, resilience, and self-belief.
“The advice I have is, you got to work. You have to work hard, and I think you have to have a dream and a desire to go after it. And when you get knocked down, you just have to get back up again and do it all the time.
“It is not a journey that is easy. And things are just handed to you, certainly not for me. But I think I overcame quite a lot throughout my career. But one thing I knew I could count on myself for was that no one would outwork me.
“So that’s what I hold my hat on, even to this day. And I think it’s about hard work. It’s about not listening to the critical opinion of others and about believing in yourself.”
This marks the fourth edition of the Kruger Big Assist program, now in its fourth year, aimed at making the game of hockey more accessible and inclusive for families across Canada.
Through Kruger Big Assist, five regional minor hockey associations will each receive $25,000 to break down barriers preventing kids from playing the sport.
Additionally, one association will be awarded a $75,000 grand prize, determined by the Canadian public for the first time this spring, out of the five regional winners.t time this spring.
