The South Lyon Unified Hockey Team knew December was going to be tough.

Unable to unite the community on the ice until 2021, members of the hockey team, both from lycées south of Lyon and south of Lyon Est, found a way to spread some joy from the Parties in the back of a pickup. a truck.

The two South Lyon Unified co-captains, JD Michaels and Mitch Skamiera, along with assistant captains Dominic Dudek, Brandon Heffernan and Tyler Hinkson, dressed up as Santa Claus and his elves and distributed candy canes to local families in a subdivision in the south of Lyon.

“We were saying how over the years, all of my neighbors when I was young, everyone did cool things in the sub for me,” said Michaels, who dressed up as Santa. “I think it would be fair for us captains to take the leadership, because right now everyone is in a dark spot, and seeing the joy and making it all move forward would be pretty cool to do.

As hockey players await a response on whether they will be able to play this winter, Michaels said this act of kindness to the community gives team members an excuse to see each other outside of practice sessions, log off the ice and make the most of the situation.

After:Cranbrook Kingswood’s favorite Division 3 women’s swim team regains love of the sport in 2020

After:Michigan High School Fall Teams Respond to Latest Sports Postponement

March is something Michaels is used to. He said he dressed as an Easter bunny and, due to COVID, sat in the back of a truck taking pictures with local children.

For forward and short-term elf Dominic Dudek, South Lyon Unified is showing its community impact that is usually done on the ice.

“I think it shows that you are more than a sports team,” said Dudek. “You want to help the community and just be the best group you can show off.”

But South Lyon Unified remains optimistic and ready for the coming season if given the chance.

After the postponement of the season, the captains came up with an idea they invented under the name of the COVID Cup. Each captain drafted a team, and head coach Bill McCreary and the rest of the coaching staff put together a spreadsheet filled with practices, with each team getting a point once a player completed it – from shooting the puck to running.

“I think it’s very important to keep getting involved with each other because the team chemistry is a huge success,” Michaels said. “When we get lazy, as soon as we go back, things won’t start clicking again.”

South Lyon Unified had an idea that a postponement was likely. Despite eight preseason practice, they have seen hockey and football teams across the state forced into self-isolation due to COVID-19 cases.

But despite the uncertainty, Dudek knows how important high school athletics is to him and the community.

“High school is more than school,” said Dudek. “You have something to play for, just play the sport you love, do what you do. You put everything aside and just play the sport you love. ”

Until they could get back on the ice, the unified hockey captains of southern Lyon prepared on Sunday to try to unite the community in a different way than they were used to.

“I would just say that little acts of kindness do a lot more than you might think because everyone is just a little dark in the mood,” Michaels said. “There are probably a ton of kids wondering if Santa is coming or not.”

Contact reporter Colin Gay at [email protected] or 248-330-6710. Follow him on twitter @ ColinGay17. Send game results and stats to [email protected]