The Newtown-New Fairfield (NNF) Rebelhawks hockey team hosted an exciting Youth Skills Competition at Danbury Ice Arena on February 16. The event was a tremendous success from start to finish. Players brought great energy, parents filled the stands with support, and fun was had by all. There were 30 participants who rotated through a variety of competitive skill stations designed to challenge and showcase their abilities during the two-hour session.

Rankin Sports made NNF hats for prizes. Gus Borgerding who was the only youth goalie who attended the event and did a tremendous job, taking home four tickets to a Danbury Hat Tricks game (donated by Expedia Cruises). The competition included the following stations: Breakaway Challenge, Fastest Skater Obstacle Course, Accuracy Shooting, Passing Accuracy Course, and Goaltender Challenge.

The event wrapped up with a scrimmage, allowing players to put their skills into action in a fun, game-style setting. Participants left with goodie bags and stuck around for pizza.

Athletes from Newtown and New Fairfield participated, further strengthening the connection between the communities. Many of these players will one day represent their schools at the high school level, and events like this serve as an important bridge from youth hockey to high school competition. The Rebelhawks program continues to build that strong developmental pipeline, creating excitement for the future of local hockey. Overall, the competition was a fantastic showcase of development, sportsmanship, and team spirit. The smiles on the ice and the positive comments afterward made it clear — this was an event the Rebelhawks community will look forward to doing again.