The Jr. Gulls 8U and 10U teams got another taste of the pro’s on Dec. 1-2 at Pechanga Arena.

The club put together a jamboree where its youngest players could experience skating on the home ice of the American Hockey League’s San Diego Gulls on Thursday and participate in a variety of ways during Friday’s game against the Calgary Wranglers.

“The event at Pechanga was awesome for the kids and their families,” said Jr. Gulls 8U coach Dave Scowby. “For them to be able to skate on that ice, the uniqueness of that experience is something they’ll remember the rest of their lives.”

It was the most recent example of the synergy between the Gulls, the top farm team of the Anaheim Ducks, and the Jr. Gulls, which moved under the umbrella of the Irvine Ice Foundation in the fall of 2020. IIF oversees the Anaheim Jr. Ducks and Orange County Hockey Club as well The Rinks’ seven ice and two inline facilities. That includes The Rinks Poway, which is the Gulls’ practice facility and the home base of the Jr. Gulls. 

“We wanted to put marketing efforts toward the Jr. Gulls,” said Matt Savant, president of the Gulls. “The 8U and 10U players are the future of our sport. We want to give them and their families good memories with pro hockey.”

The Gulls sent a video crew to Thursday’s series of exhibitions between various Jr. Gulls teams and then played highlights on Pechanga’s video screens the next night at various junctures of the game. 

In addition, longtime Jr. Gulls player Hunter Jackson, who is on the 12U BB team this season, participated in the ceremonial opening puck drop, and several more Jr. Gulls were the game’s Blue Line Buddies, lining up with Gulls players for the National Anthem. 

“My team did a first intermission shootout, all the fans saw it and the other Jr. Gulls players in the stands were waving their shirts and cheering,” Scowby said. “San Diego has so many athletic opportunities for kids. It was nice to see this relationship between a youth-level team and a pro team develop.

“It also was nice to show the kids a little bit of what it’s like to be a pro, and being able to see how both teams prepared for the game.”

That the Gulls have three California-born players on their roster this season, including leading scorer Rocco Grimaldi, captain Chase De Leo and fellow forward Evan Weinger also was not lost on the young Jr. Gulls. 

“Having players with those roots come back goes to show that it doesn’t matter where you come from, if you work hard enough and have the ability you can make it,” Scowby added. 

“An event like this is nice to have, and hopefully there will be more of this. The Ducks are a great example of an NHL team that is investing in the game at lower levels. The sport can only benefit from that across the country.”

Savant said the Gulls will continue to embrace opportunities to involve the Jr. Gulls going forward.

“It’s a fun way to get kids and families engaged with the game of hockey,” he said.