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The central theme for the coaches and players was to have fun at the CYFN Centre Ice Hockey Camp.

The third annual camp, sponsored by the Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN), ran July 25-28 at the Canada Games Centre.

The Star spoke with some of the coaches and players last Thursday.

One of the celebrity coaches was young hockey phenom Gavin McKenna, 15, the first-ever Yukoner chosen first overall in the Western Hockey League draft.

鈥淚 came out last year a little bit. I just wanted to come again and help out this year.鈥�

McKenna enjoyed helping out with the event.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been good. It鈥檚 good to see all these kids doing the camps that I used to do when I was a little kid. 鈥淪eeing all my buddies help out too 鈥� and getting to help these young kids, is pretty cool.鈥�

McKenna also talked about what he鈥檚 been up to lately.

鈥�(I) just got back from Michigan, training, and I鈥檓 heading out to Kelowna, to train out there.

鈥淚鈥檝e been here for about two weeks, and heading out again this weekend.鈥�

Mckenna added he鈥檚 looking forward to playing his first full season with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League.

鈥淚鈥檓 really excited. We鈥檙e gonna have a pretty good team. So I鈥檓 looking forward to it. We鈥檙e young, we鈥檙e fast, we play hard, so it鈥檒l be good.鈥�

Zach Harry, 12, from Whitehorse, was attending his first camp.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really fun 鈥� I really missed hockey, so my parents asked if I wanted to be in it, and I was like, 鈥榊eah.鈥欌��

Harry said he was looking to improve his skating.

Whitehorse鈥檚 Ryker Long, 10, was at his third Centre Ice camp.

He said he was at the camp to 鈥済et better鈥�, including improving his skating, and working on a harder shot.

Long plays in a house league and with the Mustangs hockey program.

When asked what he likes about the camp, Long replied, 鈥淲e get to meet new people that played in higher leagues.鈥�

Regarding McKenna, Long said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty cool that he鈥檚 from here.鈥�

Joshua Gleason-Blackjack, 10, taking part in his third camp, was asked what he liked about it.

鈥淛ust having practice, having fun. Also talking to people that are from the NHL.鈥�

Gleason-Blackjack was also working on his skating and stick handling.

He said the camp was going 鈥渞eally good.鈥�

Gleason-Blackjack added, 鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty cool that Gavin McKenna is actually from here, and Dylan Cozens.鈥�

John Chabot helped run the camp again this year. His son, Kyle, was running the session last Thursday afternoon.

鈥淲e鈥檙e just running some drills for the kids, trying to keep them light and fun, but a whole bunch of skills are involved in all the stuff we do. It鈥檚 like they do them without even knowing they鈥檙e doing them. So in game situations, quick jumps and starts and passes and shots, and it just improves all their skills as much as possible.鈥�

Chabot explained the camp philosophy.

鈥淭his camp, I believe, is just improvement and having fun. Growing that love for hockey. A lot of hockey camps that we found that I鈥檝e attended, it鈥檚 about skating and power skating.

鈥淲e like to incorporate things that are more fun for the kids, that still incorporate everything that they need to do as well.

鈥淲e want them going back and telling their friends and their siblings.鈥�

Chabot said the camp has been 鈥済reat. Great response from the kids 鈥� the first year, we had 20, max 30 kids per session. Now, these guys are 50, so it鈥檚 awesome.鈥�

Chabot added, 鈥淚t鈥檚 always a wonderful time to come here and John and I 鈥� we say it every time we鈥檙e up here 鈥� it feels like home. We鈥檙e very welcomed by the community and all the kids and we鈥檙e really blessed to be here.鈥�