Summer Cats Playoffs a fun experience for area youth

Nothing quite like the sight of hockey on the BB&T Center bowl, but for Wednesday’s Street Cats Playoffs, it looked a little bit different. No ice. Three rinks. Hundreds of screaming kids. By the end, three championship teams had been crowned. Local Boys and Girls Clubs and YMCA branches competed for Summer Cats championships in Mites, Peewee and Squirts age groups. “This is a very different experience,” said Derek Carter, coach of the Florence DeGeorge Boys and Girls Club team that took home the trophy in the Peewee division. “It’s been an eye opener, to introduce the kids to this and watch them grasp it.” Carter admits that he’s a football and track guy, generally speaking, so the game is brand new to him, too. That made the trek to the title even more exciting – or, nerve-wracking – and the reward mean so much more. “I’m used to possessions and knowing you’ve definitely got the win in the last few seconds,” he said. “Hockey’s crazy. But I was so excited for the kids, and I’m very proud of them. “I’m kind of speechless because our kids, they come from different sports backgrounds, but it’s exciting for me to see them get excited to play hockey like this.” The Summer Cats series of clinics has been a huge hit among the …

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