St. Joseph School Rocks the Red with Caps Alumni

St. Joseph School students rocked the red on Wednesday when Washington Capitals alumni Alan May and Rod Langway, as well as Caps mascot Slapshot. 

May and Langway brought the Caps Hockey School program to St. Joseph School to talk about hockey, teach skills and have floor hockey scrimmage games with the school's 190 fifth through seventh grade students. 

The program started off with a question and answer session with May and Langway where students posed questions to the athletes, asking about topics such as their upbringings, hobbies and injuries they've received. Langway said he's had more than 60 surgeries throughout his life, many because of his career. May said he has broken his nose 13 times, all but once in National Hockey League games. 

The Caps alumni would demonstrate skills and explain how they're done before inviting a group of students to join them in working on the skill. Then two scrimmage games among the students were held before the teachers took their turn on the floor agains the Caps. 

May said they use the program to help reinforce to children that it takes hard work, dedication and a good education to reach your goals. Langway said they emphasize the message that having goals and being educated is important. 

May said another positive about the program is that it shows sports and physical activity can be fun. He said children don't get outside as much as they used to and physical activity gets lost in the shuffle. He said if they can stay active in school they'll lead healthier, longer lives. 

Langway said sports also help keep children and teens away from gangs and other negative activities and behaviors. When athletes can go to the classroom or join children on the field they have another role model that can help in their development. 

The Caps donated a set of street hockey equipment to the school, which included nets, balls, street hockey sticks and goalie pads. The students also received autographed photos of May and Langway, hockey 101 books and St. Joseph received a Capitals Hockey School banner.