Beta Alpha Psi Gives Back - Christopher Yonkers

For the past seven years I have been volunteering and spending my summers, coaching youth hockey players through the future Rangers hockey programs. This program is run out of the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating center in Bethpage, NY. The programs are designed for kids of all ages, and skills. The game of hockey has been embedded within me from such a young age, and it is incredible to be able to impact players at such important ages. Hockey has always been and will always be my passion, so when I started out volunteering in high school it was a no brainer to continue. Through the years I have created friendships that will last a lifetime with all the other coaches and volunteers. It doesn’t feel like charity work, when you're doing what you love. I have had the opportunity to develop highly skilled players that have gone on to play for the US national developmental program. The relationships formed with the players are endless and I will always be guaranteed to run into one of them at the rink. It's rewarding to work with kids that share the same passion for the game that you do. They allow myself to push harder to learn more about the game, so I can push and teach them more than I ever knew.