The Algoma District School Board’s Hockey Canada Skills Academy has gone international in recent years.
That said, it’s gone international with players from a non-traditional hockey country – Argentina.
It started with an Argentinian youngster named Bautista Farias Usandizaga, who came to Sault Ste. Marie with his family and wanted to take part in the academy.
With his previous experience in the sport being limited to roller hockey in his home country, Usandizaga participated in the academy for several years before returning to Argentina with his family.
“When I first came up here, I was really excited because I got the opportunity to play hockey with really good players,” Usandizaga said.
“The first year, I did the hockey academy at Korah and I improved a lot,” he added. “Then in my second year, I decided to play (in a league) and I entered a house league team.”
Despite struggling as a team in his first year of organized hockey in the Sault, Usandizaga said he felt like he showed well in his first season.
“This is my third year, and I got a lot better -- we’re doing really good with my team this season,” Usandizaga added.
The young athlete said juggling school and hockey while being in the Sault has been going well.
“It’s been really good,” Usandizaga said. “School has been fun. I get good grades. I study and then I got a lot of ice time.”
Following his early opportunity in the Sault, Usandizaga had the opportunity to join an Argentinian national team while back in his home country prior to returning to the Sault.
“I was really proud,” he said of the chance to be a part of a national team.
His experience in the Sault sparked further interest in Argentina with others he knew and when he returned to the Sault, a trio of other teens reached out in hopes of participating in the program in some form.
Usandizaga said he’s grateful that more players came to experience the academy this year from his home country, calling it “a really good opportunity.”
The trio left over the weekend to return to Argentina after spending two weeks in the Sault while taking part in the academy and experience day-to-day life at local high schools as well.
“I’m in love with all of the opportunities that they gave us,” said Liam Lutteral.
“With all the ice time, the new drills, the new coaches, it’s the best opportunity I had in my life.”
Lutteral said the opportunity to get extra ice time while in Sault Ste. Marie was among the things he liked most about being in the Sault and participating.
“I improved a lot,” Lutteral added. “My skating and my stickhandling, my shot, I improved everything.”
For Celeste Mastracchio, the opportunity to come to the Sault and participate in the academy was one she “wasn’t expecting to happen.”
“I’m really grateful that it happened because, before I came here, I was very nervous,” she added, “but after the first training, I realized it wasn’t that bad. The people here are so great and so kind. It’s awesome.”
Learning a lot through the academy, Mastracchio said her skating and stickhandling really improved while she was in the Sault.
Roque Percivaldi said the trip to participate “was like a dream.”
“I really improved all my skills,” he added, crediting the coaching he received in the academy.
“That was amazing,” Percivaldi added. “(It’s) crazy to think of the time we had on the ice because in Argentina, we don’t have these opportunities.”