The Sundre Minor Hockey Association (SMHA) is going one step further in ensuring its young hockey players have a healthier lifestyle.
Dallas Rosevear, president of the association, said earlier this month players, coaches and parents would face the hammer of a new disciplinary committee if their behaviour on and off the ice is deemed unacceptable. Further to that initiative, Rosevear and the association have implemented changes to the Sundre Arena's concession – better and healthier food.
“If we as the new board want to provide the absolute best development for the players then the nutrition is a key part,” said Rosevear, a lifelong member of the association and its new president. “The renovations in the concession are to allow for the choices of more nutritional items such as fresh made sandwiches, subs, and fruit.”
He said in previous hockey seasons the association, which was granted a new seven-year lease by the town last March to operate the concession, had no way of keeping nutritionally rich items fresh. However, new donations of a display cooler and a refrigerated sandwich prep table, along with revamps in the concession, have given the association the opportunity to offer new and healthier food choices.
But the deep fried food and all its less than healthy ingredients will still be available.
The reason is simple economics. The revenue from foods made from the deep fryer and grill is a big money-maker for the SMHA. It helps offset the costs of registration for the players and families.
The issue became controversial last winter when administration decided to indefinitely shut down the makeup air unit, which allowed the SMHA to use the deep fryer and grill in the concession. In a report to council last March, it was revealed that dangerous levels of carbon dioxide were detected during a cold weather snap.
The SMHA told the town its revenues declined as a result. Several weeks went by before the shutdown issue was brought to town council for a resolution.
Rosevear said last week the deep fryer and grill are once again functioning. He did admit that having deep fried food while pushing for better nutrition to young players was contradictory but added the association was left with no choice.
“We are trying to increase traffic. That (deep fried food) is classic arena food,” he said. “If you take that away they will just go somewhere else.”
Rosevear said he and Brenda Price, the arena concession manager, have been discussing the possibility of opening up the concession during noon hour with a goal of attracting more young people who are open to better nutrition.
“We are sort of hoping they will come instead of going to the fast-food places,” he said. “So far the feedback has been good.”
The push for better nutrition at the Sundre Arena follows a University of Alberta study into public and private sector roles in adopting and implementing nutrition guidelines in recreational facilities.
The academic report, which was published last May, noted recreational facilities, such as community arenas, are an important community resource for health promotion as they offer access to affordable physical activities. But the study goes on to say that despite their mandate for good health many facilities have unhealthy food environments that could increase the risk of obesity with the young.
While the provincial government has established the voluntary Alberta Nutrition Guidelines for Children and Youth for better nutritional health few recreational facilities are implementing them, said the report.
The authors of the study concluded that stronger government measures may be needed to force recreational facilities across the province to improve their food environments and to cut down their selections of nutritionally poor foods.
