Gene Jenks proudly held up his 鈥渕ost likely to hit the boards to stop鈥� award during a year-end event for the Inuvik Can鈥檛 Skate League Friday, April 21.

Jenks has been playing in the league for all three years of its existence.

鈥淲hen I started three years ago I could not skate, I couldn鈥檛 stop,鈥� he said. 鈥淧laying one hour a week during the wintertime for three years now I can stop. I can skate pretty fast. I can鈥檛 skate backwards yet, but there鈥檚 definitive improvement.鈥�

The league is a recreational hockey program for people with very little to no rink skills to come together for a relaxed opportunity to learn.

Players don鈥檛 keep score and the whole premise is to help the beginners. Some skaters can鈥檛 skate at all, while others might be decent players.

鈥淭he premise is to play down to the level,鈥� said Genks. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e a can鈥檛 skater and you鈥檙e playing with what we call a can skater, they will make a point to set you up for a goal, they鈥檒l pass to you. They won鈥檛 take the puck away, but if they see you improving, they will heighten up their level too.鈥�

Forty-four unique players took part in the league this year, which meets once a week for an hour. 10 of those players were women. A total of 327 people played over the course of the year.

鈥淪ome weeks we had over 20 people,鈥� said Jenks, adding that the best turnout night was 24, and thankfully no more, as his insurance covers up to 25 people.

Inspiration for the league came from how many people share the story of wishing they had learned to skate as a youth or kick themselves for dropping out of it when young.

鈥淭his is the opportunity for both kinds of people to hit the ice in a very non-competitive format to learn how to play,鈥� said Jenks.

It鈥檚 an hour a week to get away from the burdens of life, he continued.

鈥淓very time you get off the ice, everybody鈥檚 smiling. It鈥檚 therapeutic.鈥�

Jenks hopes to continue the group鈥檚 momentum next hockey season. He encourages anyone to join up.

Players have to have their own equipment, depending on their comfort level, but Jenks recommends full gear for beginners.

Jenks also won awards for 鈥渕ost likely to fall on his butt鈥� and 鈥渂est Bambi on the ice impression.鈥�

George Parkes was voted most improved.