Saugus kids take to the street for free hockey program

SAUGUS – A light drizzle couldn?t dampen the spirits of the more than 75 kids gathered at the Anna Parker Playground Tuesday night, each one with a hockey stick in hand.Paul Petkewich passed out pinnies and street hockey balls as more kids and their parents flocked to the basketball and tennis courts for the yearly free street hockey program from the Saugus Youth and Recreation Department.?We?ve got everything here,” said Petkewich, who runs the program with his wife Lynn. “We have all the pads, all the pinnies, the gloves, the sticks, the nets. Everything?s here for me. This was all donated from the old Police Activity League program. Once they stopped doing it my wife and myself took it over.”Petkewich, a Town Meeting member, started running the free program three years ago and said he can have as many as 100 kids show up.?There?s usually 20-something middle school kids then at least 50 first graders through fifth graders,” said Petkewich, who has help from high school volunteers looking to pick up some extra community service hours.But even as the rain picked up Tuesday, the kids didn?t miss a beat as they passed the orange ball up and down the courts. Even a downpour last week couldn?t slow down the fun, said Petkewich.?The sky was black and it was just unbelievable,” said Petkewich. “I said, ?What do you people want to do?? They wanted to wait it out. So 10 minutes went by, we waited it out. Everything was soaking wet but nobody cared. (Parents) set up their chairs like they do every week and the next thing you know the sun was out. The kids got soaked but nobody cared. I didn?t care. We played until quarter of 8.”Dawn Nelson was sitting in a beach chair as her son James and daughter Ashley played.?It?s free and they like it,” said Nelson, who was sitting with a group of parents. “It?s close to home and they get to see their friends. We get to chat and they get to play.”James Nelson, 8, said he likes being the goalie because it?s fun, even though he said it can be a challenge at times.?Sometimes people hit it real hard and it?s hard to get it but sometimes you can get it,” he said. “Sometimes it?s hard and sometimes it?s easy.”For his sister Ashley Nelson, being on the same team as her friends is the best part.Saugus resident Bobby Camuso was watching his two sons, Robert, 10, and Jake, 8.Camuso said the free street hockey program is a great way to keep kids off the streets.?This is the best things they can do for the town,” said Camuso. “Paul Petkewich, he?s great with the kids. He?s got flag football coming up and my kids love it. We come every week. It?s free, it keeps the kids going, it keeps them out of trouble. I can?t believe (Petkewich) has the time to do it.”Camuso said he wished he had a free program when he was a kid.?Sports are so expensive,” said Camuso. “Pop Warner football starts tomorrow and that?s a couple hundred bucks. With this they get the same benefit out of it. It?s friendly, there?s no problems with it. You can?t ask for more for what (Petkewich) does with the town.”Camuso said his kids would probably be home playing Nintendo Wii if it weren?t for the free program.?It gets them out of the house and away from the games, and gets them outside,” said Camuso.The program ends in two weeks, but it won?t be long until the next free one starts. In mid-September Petkewich runs a free weekly flag football program on Friday nights at the Veterans Elementary School.?I have four fields set up for that and I usually get about 100 kids for that,” said Petkewich. “That will go six or seven weeks. I basically tell the kids they can play until Halloween.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].