Panthers 'Learn to Play' Brings Local Family Closer Together

Under normal circumstances, Stephanie Davis would probably be at the rink right about now.
Between figure skating lessons for her 5-year-old daughter Emma and hockey practice for her 9-year-old daughter Ava, Stephanie, whose husband also participates in a local men's league, admits that she pretty much lived at Palm Beach Skate Zone prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Back before this all happened, you could see us there, any combination of us, easily four to five nights a week," Stephanie told FloridaPanthers.com. "We love it. It's a home away from home."
While both Stephanie and her husband, Josh, grew up loving the game and are self-described "die-hard fans" of the Florida Panthers, the sport truly became a family affair when Ava enlisted in the organization's "Learn to Play" program as a 6-year-old back during the spring of 2017.
And while her younger sister prefers figure skating, Ava quickly found her passion with pucks.
"She had a tried little league and a couple other things, but had never really found something she loved," Stephanie said of Ava. "We had been going to Panthers games, so we just said, 'Hey, let's try that!' Literally, from the first second she stepped onto the ice she was hooked."
In the time since she first laced up her skates, Ava has certainly put the skills she picked up during "Learn to Play" to good use. After working her way up through a series of recreational leagues, she tried out for and earned a spot with a local travel team, the Palm Beach Hawks.
Last summer, Ava also showed off her teaching skills when she assisted Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson and his wife, Emily, a fellow blueliner and Olympic gold medalist, when the pair served as guest instructors during a session of the "Girls Learn to Play" program at SkateZone.

"I love hockey because I get to play with everyone," said Ava, who idolizes Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad. "It's just fun when you can just do anything that you want."
Through hockey, Ava said she's also made anywhere from 14-20 new friends.
"This is probably my favorite thing to do in my whole entire life," she said.
Watching her daughter fall in love with hockey, Stephanie, who used to play street hockey while growing up in Philadelphia, started to get an itch to hit the ice herself. And in the summer of 2018, she got her wish when the Panthers launched their new "Adult Learn to Play" program.

Like the youth program, the adult program also offered everything a new skater would need at an affordable price. From skates to sticks, everything was taken care of. All Stephanie had to do was show up and, like her daughter, bring nothing put a strong passion to learn about the game.
"When she was doing hers, I was always hoping there was a program for adults," Stephanie said. "It was so cool. There's no pressure. You can take it and do as much with it as you want. I told myself if there was an adult one, I'd do it. I was so excited when I got the e-mail about it.
"I loved everything about it, from start to finish. Being able to get the equipment and taking from it as much as I wanted to. Everybody was new at it, but there were people of different levels. Nobody made anyone feel out of place. It didn't matter… It was a great experience."
Following the completion of the "Adult Learn to Play" program, Stephanie was able to join Ava on the ice during a wealth of fun clinics and events, including the Hawks' annual parents game.
"I get out there if they have a women's or a girl's clinic," Stephanie said. "Just being out there with her and having some fun. Whether it's competitive or not, it doesn't matter. Just the fact that I can skate around with her with all of my equipment. We're out there learning together."
Ava agrees that it's pretty cool to have her mom as a part-time teammate out on the ice.
"It's fun to have my mom out there," she said.
Unable to access the rink at the moment, Stephanie, Ava, and the rest of the Davis family have still been getting in plenty of practice while social distancing at home. Ava has a full-sized net to fire shots on and, even though it can't match the real thing, rollerblading has filled in for skating.
"I'm able to be out there with her," Stephanie said. "Now that I've got more knowledge about hockey, I'm able to give her pointers. I'm not just sending her out there to practice on her own, I'm able to be a part of it."
Moving forward, the Panthers are excited to help create more memories like those shared among the Davis family. Whether you're a child looking for an exciting new sport or an adult that's dreamed of hitting the ice, the club's "Learn to Play" programs are a great place to start.
"The Panthers are proud to be able to provide introductory hockey programming for kids and adults in our community," said Panthers Youth Hockey Manager Matthew Janusz. "Stephanie and Ava are only one of our many examples of a parent and child who have gone through their respective 'Learn To Play' programs with the Panthers.
"It's special for us to be able to foster an atmosphere for children and their parents to learn the game. It is great to see Ava continue on her hockey journey as a travel player knowing that she started with the 'Learn To Play' program. In addition, being able to provide the same experience for Stephanie so that she can start her own hockey journey in adult programs as well as through family hockey clinics and games with her daughter is extremely special."
Interested in joining a future "Learn to Play" program when rinks re-open? Click HERE!