ND Prowl helping develop generations on the ice in Jamestown area

Jan. 28—JAMESTOWN — For over 35 years, kids growing up in the Jamestown area have been able to play hockey for the Prowl through Jamestown Hockey.

The organization has seven divisions starting at Learn to Skate for kids who are 5 years old and younger through kids that are age 16. The organization was born in the mid-1970s with the Elks and Eagles sponsoring the teams before the team was rebranded to the Icehawks and then the Prowl when the program became a co-op with Valley City.

After serving on the board for four years, Cody Champagne is in his first year as president of Jamestown Hockey. Champagne said his role involves keeping hockey in the area as affordable as possible to people and making sure everything behind the scenes is organized.

"Making sure we have coaches to mentor the kids and teach them hockey skills and cultivate a good environment for them to grow as skaters and as kids," Champagne said.

Champagne said there are approximately 137 kids in the program this season and the most populated level is the squirts for 9- and 10-year-olds. One of the kids in the Learn to Skate program is 5-year-old Gage Freeman, who is in his second year with the organization. Gage Freeman said he likes the sport and playing in the games.

David Freeman, Gage's father, said they practice two to three nights a week.

We attend a lot of college (games), we went to a couple (Minnesota) Wild games, some (Fargo) Force games," he said."So, in general, we do a lot of things around hockey so hopefully he (Gage) sticks with it and I think it's only going to grow."

Despite being president of Jamestown Hockey, Champagne said he did not grow up playing for the Prowl but his wife, Nichole, is what inspired the family to get involved in the sport.

"My wife grew up playing hockey in Canada so that's how we got our kids into hockey," Champagne said.

Champagne said he has learned a ton through the years with his oldest son Tristan who is now a peewee.

The organization holds practice at the Eagles Arena in Jamestown and in Valley City. While there isn't a ton of movement up for players wanting to play above their age group, Champagne said the times it does happen are when a family has kids at different age groups and they want to go to one practice per week in Jamestown or in Valley City rather than going back and forth. Champagne also said kids can move up if they can prove they can compete with and skate with the older kids.

The practices and games serve as a bonding place for the parents and the kids.

"We're here all the time, we've got practices at least three times a week," said Courtney Wiest, a parent of two sons in the program. "We make friendships not only on the ice but the parents make friendships as well, it's nice to meet new people in Jamestown and form a bond with the community as well."

Champagne said the coaches for the young kids are parents but they have different coaches as the kids get older including Brad Schaack and Brandon Stahlhut.

This year, Wilson Arena has become busier than it ever has been before with the introduction of the University of Jamestown women's hockey team pushing the total number of teams in Jamestown to 16. The job of scheduling falls to Blue Jays boys hockey coach Matt Stockert, who organizes the ice time every year.

"Ice time is always tough, having 4-year-olds all the way up through high school and then you add another hockey team," Champagne said. "Ice time is a valued commodity. "

Champagne said Stockert works to get the kids in the program the ice time they need.

One of the older kids in the program is 14-year-old Brady Nenow, who said he's been playing hockey since he was a little kid. Brady Nenow said hockey is one of his favorite sports because of the time he spends with his friends.

Nenow said he is hoping to be the second member of his family to start their hockey career with the Prowl and go on to have success in the sport.

"I'm wanting to follow in my brother's (Nolan) footsteps, he went from the Jays to the (North American Hockey League)," Nenow said. "I'm hoping to at least do something in my Blue Jay career."

Recently, the Prowl started a program for the younger kids where some of the Blue Jay players come and help coach the kids alongside Prowl coaches.

Brady Nenow said he enjoys seeing how the younger kids are being taught the game and how that differs from the way he was taught it.

"When I walk past and see a practice, I like looking back and seeing what we used to be doing and how I could've done it better or differently," Nenow said.