Three local boys got the thrill of a lifetime recently when Wayne Gretzky showed up to skate with all the participants at the Compete Hockey camp in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho run by world-renowned power skating coach Boris Dorozhenko.
Bailey Shaw, Darren Petersen and Chase McKay were at the school last month when Gretzky, who spends his summers in Coeur d’Alene, showed up in uniform and skates to pick up his son who was participating in the camp.
Dorozhenko teaches players the techniques of power skating taught in Europe and according to the school website, some of the best skaters in the National Hockey League were taught the European style of edge control, balance and explosive leg power.
“The improvement of the players skating in just five days is unbelievable, I have never seen anything like it,” says Cam Severson, the director of Compete Hockey Schools and Compete Hockey Academy.
According to Bailey’s dad Gerry Shaw, Wayne Gretzky, Russ Courtnall and Todd McLellan (head coach of San Jose Sharks) all had sons attending the camp.