Skate and hockey instructor enjoying home-ice advantage
Feb 5, 2025
In many ways, Dane Gathercole has grown up in and around the arenas at WinSport.
Even if he’s still just 15 years old.
From practically the earliest age he could put on a pair of skates until just before his teenage years, Gathercole was regularly enrolled in WinSport’s skate and hockey lessons and summer camps.
He then pursued a volunteer opportunity last summer to begin assisting the next generation of on-ice athletes at the same place he once learned. Next, he was hand-picked to further contribute to the organization as a part-time Team Member in the position of Skate and Hockey Instructor.
“I started off at around four years old as a Learn to Skate participant and then worked my way into Discover Hockey,” says the Grade 10 student at Bowness High School. “I actually had M
aia (Smith-Merovitz) as an instructor, and she’s now my boss. I then came back as a volunteer last summer and worked my way up to a paid position last fall. I now get to be part of that team while still coaching kids and getting to see them succeed.”
Despite his many other commitments, Gathercole continues to prioritize meaningful time spent at WinSport. He is unequivocally dedicated to teaching those who love to skate, with or without a hockey stick in their hands.
“In the winter, I am here once or twice a week, including weekends, to coach five or six hours or even up to eight,” the ice aficionado explains. “I coach Learn to Skate and then move into Hockey to help with skill development. In the summer, I get to coach camps where we are on the ice twice a day for an hour each time. We also break off into outdoor games, have lunch, and have a good time together outside.”
An obvious added benefit to Gathercole’s on-ice guidance is his ability to relate to the many registrants. After all, whether he’s providing group or solo instruction, his ambitious understudies are in the exact same position he was once in himself.
“I know first-hand what it’s like,” says Gathercole. “Those memories have stuck with me. I found that I was more willing to try things and would succeed more often with the most engaging instructors, like Maia. Now, I always want to be the best instructor I possibly can be for the kids.”
Gathercole’s competitive hockey playing days are over, but his skills still translate to friendly games of shinny on the local outdoor rinks. He ultimately credits those abilities to his earlier days inside the Markin MacPhail Centre.
“I noticed my biggest development as a player was here at WinSport,” Gathercole insists. “WinSport has always focused on the fundamentals and ensuring you have a good base in order to move up. From my basic skating to stopping to crossovers, they were so much better compared to my peers who didn’t go through these programs.”
His full-circle experience is something Gathercole continues to marvel at today. He’s even persuaded others to acquire volunteer hours or employment positions at WinSport.
“I definitely want to continue here, and I see myself here throughout my whole high school journey,” says Gathercole, who also aspires to earn a post-secondary football scholarship south of the border. “The atmosphere and Team Members here are amazing, and I feel supported and get great feedback. I can definitely see myself here for a while.”
All things considered, his countless hours at WinSport have certainly paid off in more ways than one.
“The best part of my job is getting to go on the ice every day and watch these kids get one step better every day,” Gathercole says. “I hope to make an impact on how far they go and the people they become. And I hope they remember this time at WinSport and how much fun they had.”