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As many former NHLers from Kirkland Lake will tell you, it was the experience of being on the outdoor rinks that made them into the players of today. When asked what training helped him most as he was growing up and resulted in his abilities to become a player skilled enough to make it to professional hockey, Bill Plager said the following in a 2009 interview:

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Bill Plager - Cleaning Off the Ice at the Rink
5 September 2009
Hockey Heritage North, Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada


Credits:
Bill Plager Interview
Hockey Heritage North Archives

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A player often relies on more than his or her own abilities to get where they are.

Family provided support for the players, from the flyweights' level and upwards. Coaches contributed to the development of the individual players, and creating strong teams that could compete at both the local and regional level.

Teammates and rivalries helped to inspire the players to want more of themselves and their teammates, with a desire to have fun playing the game while using rivalries to fuel a passion for winning.

The community also helped the growth of the sport of hockey through the sponsoring of teams by businesses in town, the construction of an indoor facility with the help of the Lake Shore Mine, and the schools with sponsoring the school league and outdoor rinks for the children to hone their skills on.