hockey for all centre offers beginner skating and hockey programs for youth and adults
Although Kody Gibbs is just celebrating his one-year anniversary of assistant coaching for Jets Hockey Development (JHD) at hockey for all centre, the progress he’s seen in his players within the past year has been tremendous. Since he finished his pro hockey career in the United States and started coaching last August, Gibbs has coached a variety of levels from U7 to junior hockey players – and even his former high school hockey team. However, one group that sticks out to Gibbs are his players from the First Shift program.
“It was really cool to see the progression of these kids from their first sessions when they were just learning to skate to their last session in how much they’ve improved,” said Gibbs.
The First Shift program provides youth with equipment and equipment fitting demonstrations, sessions at manageable and consistent times, and ensures participants are having fun and feel safe while slowly introducing them to skills and rules of the game. First Shift is designed to make hockey accessible for families new to the sport and to engage more youth from underrepresented communities.
As most First Shift participants have never skated before, Gibbs tries to simplify lessons and makes sure participants are constantly moving and engaged in drills while encouraging them to grow their skills.
“I love to challenge players and push them to the next level,” said Gibbs. “Don’t be afraid to try new things. Your failure is going to lead to success.”
Once players complete First Shift, the goal is for them to move on to the Second Shift program or transition to minor hockey. However, learning to skate and play hockey isn’t just for kids, as hockey for all centre also offers programs for adults new to the sport. This fall, Gibbs will be coaching two adult programs: Adult Skill Development and the newly launched Adult Learn to Play. The Adult Skill Development program is designed for adults who want to improve their basic hockey skills, like skating, puck control, and breaking down different positions on the ice, while Adult Learn to Play is targeted toward beginner skaters.
“We’ve seen a lot of growth with the numbers in our adult programming, whether it’s adults who have already done programs with us and are wanting to learn more or how to play hockey, to adults who have never skated.” said Gibbs. “It’s fun to work with adults and see them pushing themselves to try a new skill.”
Many of the adult participants come from families who already have children enrolled in a First Shift program, or who have kids in minor hockey.
“Once parents see how much fun their kids are having in hockey, it does peak their own interest in trying the sport. We want to encourage adults to take the chance, let them know there is programming for them, it’s not intimidating and it’s never too late to get involved in hockey.”
For adults wanting to improve their skating skills, fall lessons offer the perfect time before the winter hockey season and outdoor rinks and rivers open up for skating. For youth, fall sessions offer a great head start in preparing for the upcoming minor hockey season.
“Improving your game in the fall will benefit players going into the season,” said Gibbs, who’s looking forward to coaching this fall’s First Shift and adult programming. For him, the best part of coaching is seeing how the personal progress of a player translates to growing their love for the game.
“Whether it’s over a season or a year that I’m c
oaching a player, it’s really rewarding to connect with them and watch them improve and go to the next level, also taking their enjoyment for the sport to the next level.”
For more information on First Shift and Adult programming this fall, visit hockeyforallcentre.com.
Filipino community hosts hockey jamboree for new and advanced players
As part of June’s Filipino Heritage Month celebrations, Filipino hockey players gathered at hockey for all centre for a jamboree, dedicating a day to share their love of hockey. Bringing together so many young hockey players and Filipino families who are fans of the sport is something Ron Cantiveros couldn’t have imagined when he helped spearhead an initiative to increase the number of Filipino hockey players in Manitoba three years ago.
“If you had asked me what Filipino hockey could look like, I would never have imagined we’d be where we are today,” said Cantiveros, a player who still enjoys rec league hockey and a rookie head coach for his son’s U9 team. “None of this would have been possible without that first Filipino Heritage Night game and all the initiatives that have grown from it.”
Cantiveros was first connected to True North Sports + Entertainment and hockey for all centre as a cultural ambassador for the Winnipeg Jets Filipino Heritage Night, which celebrated its third anniversary in the 2024-25 season. As well as celebrating culture and inviting new fans to enjoy the sport, Filipino Heritage Night also raises money through an auction and merchandise sales which go toward initiatives important to the Filipino community, and this year, that included the inaugural Filipino Heritage Hockey Jamboree.
The event welcomed around 50 Filipino hockey players made up of minor hockey league players and First and Second Shift participants. First Shift is a program organized through hockey for all centre that makes hockey more accessible for families new to the sport. Cantiveros is the connection between the program and the Filipino community, and over the past three years he has introduced more than 120 Filipino youth to hockey.
“There’s 100,000 Filipinos in Manitoba. While some might assume we all play basketball, there’s interest in other sports as well,” said Cantiveros. “The opportunities we’ve had as a community to learn how to skate and play hockey have been truly remarkable.”
The Filipino Heritage Hockey Jamboree gave players a chance to have five uninterrupted hours of fun and competitive scrimmaging. As the First Shift program mostly focuses on drills and skill development, many of its players had never had an opportunity to play an actual hockey game.
“A lot of the participants and parents hadn’t experienced hockey past those First Shift and Second Shift opportunities. It was a completely brand-new experience for them because they’ve never been a part of organized hockey or a jamboree.”
The event also gave youth and their parents an opportunity to connect with a larger community of Filipino hockey players and their families.
“It was really important for the kids to see that there are other hockey players that look like them and talk like them,” said Cantiveros. “The parents loved it, and they were able to meet other Filipino hockey parents.”
One of those parents was Joslly Matienzo. Watching her son Lucas learn a new sport in a setting that reflected their culture and community made the Matienzo family excited to get him more involved in hockey.
“It was a real eye-opener for many in our community. A lot of families, especially those with young kids curious about hockey, saw firsthand what’s possible,” said Matienzo. “It gave us hope and inspiration that our children can also be part of this sport in a meaningful way.”
Mixing more advanced hockey players and beginners also helped showcase the growth of hockey in the Filipino community, and the opportunities for Filipino players to reach the next level.
“For the more advanced players and their parents, it was an opportunity for them to see how much interest there is in our community. They’ve never seen what the First Shift and Second Shift programs look like, it’s a lot bigger than they imagined,” said Cantiveros. “For the First Shift players and their parents, seeing players like them at a higher skill level made them excited for their own potential and what might be their next step.”
Cantiveros knows that a barrier for families new to hockey is the unknown of what minor hockey might be like. He’s now in a coaching role for his son’s team, but being fairly new to minor hockey himself, Cantiveros understands the impression that navigating minor hockey programming can be intimidating. However, he encourages parents to take that step for their kids.
“If your kids are excited to play hockey, you have to do everything you can to support them. More than just the on-ice portion, through First Shift, families can learn more about minor hockey, other hockey opportunities, and most of all, enjoy the sense of community that hockey brings.”
New youth hockey program prioritizes fun, learning, and accessibility
hockey for all centre has launched a new program for youth hockey players that prioritizes fun and skill development with a consistent and manageable schedule. Winnipeg Jets Rec Hockey Program registration is open now for its inaugural season which runs mid-October to early March.
“hockey for all centre is always trying to find ways to grow the game, and our new Winnipeg Jets Rec Hockey Program is a stress-free commitment for families that provides young hockey players an opportunity to develop their skills in a fun, low-pressure setting,” said David Sattler, general manager of hockey for all centre.
The Winnipeg Jets Rec Hockey Program offers an alternative to the more intensive minor hockey stream on a manageable schedule. Participants will work on their skills in a game environment with a focus on fun and learning without competitive pressures. With both a U7 and U10 age division, the program consists of an hour-long scrimmage once a week on Sunday mornings at Seven Oaks Arena, making the program an easy commitment for families. Participants will be divided up to create equally skilled teams, and each player will have the chance to play a total of 32 games over 16 gamedays. With a focus on gameplay, players can use their own creativity on the ice, and the league is open to youth across Winnipeg, allowing friends to play together regardless of the area they live in. The program wraps up with a jamboree in early March to celebrate the season.
The calibre of coaching has always been high for the Jets Hockey Development (JHD) team at hockey for all centre. But the recent selection of two JHD coaches to the coaching staff of the Manitoba boys U16 Program of Excellence, has added even more credentials to the coaching team.
Despite working together for the past several years, Devin Himpe, JHD Head Instructor, and Andy Kollar, Head Instructor of the Esso Ice Lab, have never coached a team with one another. Now they’re coming together to coach the U16 team that’s headed to the 2025 WHL Cup this October.
“It’s been a goal of mine to work my way to a point where I feel comfortable and confident to go for the head coach role,” said Himpe, who was an assistant coach and video coach for the U16 team before being selected as head coach this year. “It was a great accomplishment for myself, and as much as I want to celebrate it as much as I can, once I knew I got it, it was straight to work for me.”
Himpe’s first task was rounding out his coaching staff, and when it came to finding a goalie coach, choosing Kollar was a no-brainer.
“I know he works hard for these kids, and I know he’s going to do as much as he possibly can to help in our goalie selection,” said Himpe, who noted how difficult it will be to choose only two goalies from the many talented goaltenders trying out. “We’re lucky to have his expertise and I’m excited to be able to work with him.”
“I really respect Devin as a coach and a human, so when he asked if I would help, it was a pretty easy decision for me to make,” said Kollar, who is coaching the U16 goalies for the first time. Kollar spends most of his time running sessions at the Ice Lab, making his availability to coach teams rare. However, he’s already got a connection to the team in working one-on-one time with many of the goalies who will be trying out.
“Through the Ice Lab I’ve gotten to work with a lot of these kids on their own and have seen them grow to where they’re at right now,” said Kollar. “I’m very honoured to be a part of this and I hope with my experiences, background and knowledge, I can give the kids an advantage or some help in their journey for them to be as successful as they can.”
Getting the team ready for the WHL Cup this October is going to be a long process. Tryouts begin in April with 116 players from across the province coming to hockey for all centre. Participants will be split into teams so the coaching staff can assess who they are as players on and off the ice before selecting the top 40 going on to the next round.
As someone who was once in their shoes, Himpe wants to help players get to the next level.
“It was always something that I wanted to strive for, to get to a point where I feel that I can be effective and helpful with these players getting to the highest level possible.”
One of the ways he plans to do this as head coach is through forming relationships with each of his players to help them reach their goals and develop to the best of their ability.
“I’m a very personable coach. I like to know my players and see their journey from top 100 all the way to Team Manitoba,” said Himpe. “As a head coach I don’t want to be standoffish, I want to talk to my players and get to know them and see their progression and development from start to finish.”
During a few weekends in the summer, players will participate in practices, games, interviews, and team building events until the final team is narrowed down for this October’s WHL Cup in Red Deer, Alta. The WHL Cup happens every year, with the exception of Canada Games years, and includes teams with the top players from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia. Many of the players participating will be scouted by the WHL, which has produced some of the top players in the NHL.
Both coaches are looking forward to competing in the tournament.
“I’m excited to see how the mindset changes, or doesn’t change, at a high-level tournament,” said Kollar. “I think one of the biggest aspects I can add to our players’ toolbox will be the mental side of it. I think that’s the biggest part that changes through a high-level tournament, where pressure or mindset could take over in a negative or positive way and affect their skill set.”
“I’m just excited to see how the players develop and how we can see them go from good to better players within a system and a higher level of competition,” said Himpe. “It will be exciting to see how we do against other provinces.”
While it may be their first times in these specific roles, coaching with Jets Hockey Development has prepared Kollar and Himpe to take on the challenge.
“I think working at the Ice Lab has helped me prepare to partner up with whoever the goalies are and create a strong bond,” said Kollar. During the past 11 years he’s spent at the Ice Lab, Kollar has learned to tailor his coaching to how each player learns and reacts.
“Being able to learn from and talk with the really good coaches that we have here and to be in hockey day in and day out has only helped me understand what we need to do for these players to help them develop further,” said Himpe. “We’re skills coaches, but at the end of the day we’re trying to build ourselves up and have a better understanding of how we can be an effective coach for the players, whether it be from a skills development side or from a team systems side.”
Along with coaching the provincial team, Kollar and Himpe will be running a variety of JHD and Esso Ice Lab camps and programs this summer. To learn more about different options for summer training, visit hockeyforallcentre.com
This is the coaching philosophy he brings to every practice and game, whether he’s working with a player during a Jets Hockey Development (JHD) session or coaching the Oak Park varsity boy’s hockey team.
“There needs to be a relationship between the coach and the player that is more than just superficial and only about hockey,” said Gardiner. “There needs to be an understanding of where they come from and what their background’s like, so you can be more in tune with players once they get on the ice.”
Since he started coaching full time with JHD two and a half years ago, Gardiner approaches each training session trying to balance challenging his players while making sure they don’t feel discouraged.
“Whenever I think about a practice or different skills that we teach, the first thing I generally think about is, is this helping a player, does this apply to a game scenario, and is this something that they’re going to be able to accomplish,” said Gardiner.
His favourite skill to teach is handling the puck along the boards – it’s a skill he knows a lot about having studied and presented on it at a Hockey Canada’s skills seminar.
“With the way the game is now, it’s a lot faster and there’s a lot less time to make plays. We have to find a way to get the puck to another teammate without going directly to them, so its something that applies to every player at every level.”
Gardiner played hockey for Charleswood from the age of 8, moving on to Oak Park High School and the Charleswood Hawks in the MMJHL. He now coaches Oak Park’s varsity boy’s team, who won the provincial championships last year as the lowest seed going into the tournament.
“We got on a bit of a roll and won all our games, so it was exciting since we weren’t a favourite by any means,” said Gardiner, who looks back on the championship as one of his proudest coaching moments. Motivating his players to reach their potential, whether that’s mastering a new skill or becoming provincial champions, is something that Gardiner takes pride in as a coach at Oak Park and JHD.
His goal is always for his players to achieve growth on the ice. In coaching the JHD summer programs, players’ year over year growth is evident and he finds it rewarding to see players return having achieved the goals they set out the year before.
“There tends to be a massive jump by the time they come next summer, whether that be making the team they wanted to, producing more, or having more points, which is super rewarding to see as a coach,” said Gardiner.
Off-season training provides an opportunity for players to focus on improving their skills, and Gardiner particularly enjoys impacting players’ personal improvement.
“During the season with your team, more time is spent on team systems and concepts, but summer is a time where you can focus on your personal game and things you struggle with,” said Gardiner. “I think its important that kids, especially younger kids, are playing multiple sports or taking a break from sports, but summer can also be a time to develop individually.”
JHD has a wide variety of summer camps for everyone from U7 to professional players to work on their skills. Gardiner and the other JHD coaches develop a curriculum for each program and rotate coaching the camps, working with players off all levels. The diversity of coaching skill sets is something Gardiner believes makes the JHD team stand out.
“All the coaches know how to work with 5- and 6-year-olds, right up to players who have been playing for 20 years. You learn different ways to explain things and how to simplify things for younger players or be more detailed with the older players.”
JHD coaches are also there to support players if they have any concerns about their game. As part of his coaching approach, Gardiner makes an intentional effort to connect with his players off the ice to check in and see how they’re feeling.
“Having someone to talk to, especially if they are going through rough patches in their season, which is going to happen to everyone, is important,” said Gardiner. “Players can reach out to any of the JHD coaches if they have questions or want a different perspective.”
Gardiner has advice for players who are interested in training over the summer.
“You can develop as a player on your own, regardless of the skill level on the ice. If you are diligent and focusing on what you should be doing and what we’re teaching, you’ll develop as a player.”
For more information on Jets Hockey Development 2025 summer programs, visit hockeyforallcentre.com.
“During the season with your team, more time is spent on team systems and concepts, but summer is a time where you can focus on your personal game and things you struggle with,” said Gardiner. “I think its important that kids, especially younger kids, are playing multiple sports or taking a break from sports, but summer can also be a time to develop individually.”
