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Itsagoodopportunityforyounggirlstolearntoplaywithothersafunintro-ductiontothesportthatmakesitlessintimidating.JessicaCoxEssoFunDayorganizerSportsRecreationHockey19TuesdayFebruary122013BiGREDBiGREDHONDATRX500FMHONDATRX500FMFORYOURSWEETHEARTonVALENTINESDAYFORYOURSWEETHEARTonVALENTINESDAYCallDonnaLeeatKinglandFordTollFreeat1-800-661-0716donnaleekinglandford.comCallDonnaLeeatKinglandFordTollFreeat1-800-661-0716donnaleekinglandford.comByRENEFRANCOEURShanaeNadary7scufedacrosstheFortSmithrinkandheavedherselfupontotheboards.Iwanttodohockeynowshechirpedsmilingcheektocheekunderherhockeymask.SaturdaymarkedthersttimeNadaryevertriedshoot-ingpucksandherenthusiasmisexactlythekindofreactionEssoFunDaysislookingfor.TheEssoFunDaypro-gramwasestablishedin1998byHockeyCanadaasafunandfreewaytointro-duceyounggirlstohockey.SaturdaywasFortSmithssecondEssoFunDayorga-nizedbyJessicaCoxwhofa-cilitatedthelastonein2006.Itsagoodopportunityforyounggirlstolearntoplaywithothersafunin-troductiontothesportthatmakesitlessintimidatingCoxsaid.Sevenyounggirlsshowedupforafewhoursofgamesandskill-buildingexerciseswithlocalcoaches.Allex-ceptacoupleofthegirlswerebrandnewtohockeyCoxsaid.ForNaomiRhymer6itwasthersttimedonningahockeyjerseyandmanag-ingastick.IlikeiteventhoughitsabithardandIfalldownRhymersaid.RhymertoldTheJournalshesnowthinkingaboutjoiningminorhockeynextyear.girls-specicsportingeventshesaid.JodiMcMahonbroughther7year-olddaughterSadiewhosbeenplayinghockeyforthreeyearstothearenaSaturday.Itssomethingneattotryoutandencouragesmorefemaleathletesshesaid.ThegirlsgettospendtimeHockeyfirst-timerstaketoiceonEssoFunDayShariOlsenwhoalsocoachestheCanSkatepro-gramvolunteeredontheiceattheFunday.Ithinkbeingactiveisanimportantpartoflifeanditsgreattoseesomethinglikethisgettingmorekidsinvolvedespeciallyinawithsomeoldercoachesandhockeyplayersandlearnaboutteamworktheyregreatrolemodels.Sadiesaidshecantgetenoughofhockey.IneverygameItrytogetagoal.IlikewhenIdoshesaid.OliviaCox5practicespuckhandling.PhotosReneFrancoeurFunDayparticipantscheer123Girlsbeforebreakingforahealthysnack.NaomiRhymer6makesaplayforthepuckduringafunscrimmageagainstthecoaches.LauraAubreycoachesLisaHeron5onhershootingagainstgoalieAtikinHehn.