Crestline third graders Samantha Wallace, left, and Brooklyn Park face off at center court in a pickup hockey game in the school gym Monday. Former Huntsville Havoc player Craig Bushey, center, provided instruction on how the sport is played. | Clif Knight

Crestline Elementary School students got up close and personal with the sport of hockey during PE classes on Monday thanks to the expertise of Craig Bushey, a Canadian who formerly played the game in Huntsville for the University of Alabama-Huntsville and the Huntsville Havoc.

K-5 students received instruction and participated in shortened hockey games during physical education classes. Throughout the day, Bushey offered instructions and supervised game action with the help of physical education teachers Ben Hughes and Rita Roberts.

“The purpose of me being here is to make students aware of the sport and the opportunities they have to play it on an organized basis as near at Point Mallard in Decatur,” Bushey said. “These kids love it. They’ve had a blast all day.”

“We bring out the hockey equipment from time to time and let the students play with it,” Roberts said, “but it means a lot more to them when we have a hockey pro teaching and working with them.”

“It was a lot of fun,” said third grader Marlee Beavers. “We learned how to use the sticks and pass the ball to a teammate who had a better shot at the goal.”

Bushey said his schedule called for him to be at Barkley Bridge on Tuesday and F.E. Burleson today.

He also invited Crestline students to a “Free Try Hockey Day” at the Point Mallard Ice Rink in Decatur Sat., Dec. 21. He said skates, gloves, sticks and helmets will also be provided free of charge.

Bushey played hockey on scholarship with UAH and later played pro hockey with the Havoc before becoming a teacher and coach.