It was eight years ago when Danny Flynn first came to Whitehorse for the Northwestel Summit Hockey School.

The GM and head coach of the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats has been back nearly every year since, and he's seen first hand the incredible changes.

"Eight years ago, we were at Stan McCowan Arena. Look around now. (The Canada Games Centre) is as nice of a facility as anywhere in the country. The level of hockey in the Yukon ... every year it takes a step,” said Flynn, recalling the year he brought Ted Stephens to Moncton, in 2007.

"There's been a steady flow of players since then that have left to play college, major junior or junior hockey. Instead of a just a few players, there's now about 20 to 25 leaving to play elsewhere every year.”

Growing up in the Maritimes, Flynn said the scene was similar, with players forced to go elsewhere if they wanted to achieve elite hockey careers, and many of them never getting noticed at all. Now, he said, the kids in the Maritimes know they can do it. After all, they have a great role model.

"They can see, from Sidney Crosby on down, how hockey in the Maritimes has improved. And it's similar here.

"When you live here and see the hockey every day, you might not notice a steady improvement. But when you leave and come back every year, the difference is huge.”

The difference in the Summit hockey school is also noticeable, said Flynn, adding they've done a solid job of improving every year in both the on and off-ice programs.

With skill levels now on par with much of the country, organizers of the local hockey school are aiming to improve other areas of the game. This year's theme is

"Learning to Lead”, focusing on the qualities it takes to become a good leader.

"We're here to teach kids the skills of the game and some life lessons along the way,” stated Flynn.

Summit partnered with the Yukon Indian Hockey Association (YIHA), who marketed the idea and brought in nearly 60 kids, ages nine to 16. The on-ice component is still the same, but there is more off-ice activities such as dryland training and guest speakers every day.

Head instructors include Flynn, Quesnel Millionaires assistant coach Brian Kozak and Joe Martin, an organizer of Northwestel Summit Hockey Schools who is GM and coach of the Creston Thundercats.

Kozak, a fitness expert who has worked with professional hockey players such as Curt Bowen and NHLer Mike Richards, was approached by Martin in the spring to take part in the school. The two know each other from B.C. hockey circles.

"Joe comes up to our camps and we work with him and his team throughout the season,” explained Kozak. "We were in spring camp in Kelowna and we got to talking about the school. I am also a teacher, and specifically took aboriginal teaching, so he thought I would be a good fit here.”

Kozak said he likes to keep his sessions with the kids as fun as possible while still working in the fitness, calling them "hidden workouts”. He works in aboriginal teachings as well.

"We sit in circles and we have a ball. Whoever is holding the ball gets to talk.

They're all equal. Not so much actual hockey skills, but also respect, hard work and perseverance.

"They're learning to socialize with different age groups, which is huge. They're also getting experience from both good young hockey players and old coaches like us.”

The school features assistant instructors from Yukon communities such as Carmacks, Dawson and Teslin. The idea is that leadership qualities are passed on down the line, with the youngest kids at the school learning from the kids they look up to – people who are going to be in the territory year-round.

"Pait Johnson from Dawson, he started as a little kid in this school seven or eight years ago. Glenn Skookum, he started years ago as well. Now they're assistant instructors, passing on their leadership to the younger kids,” said Martin. "That's the idea.”

It's an idea that's getting good feedback, and one that Martin would like to see continue down the road. He pointed to the only certified aboriginal coach in the Yukon, Kluane Adamek, as a recent example of success.

"That's where we want to go with this in the next couple of years. We want these kids to become good leaders, assistant instructors, players and coaches.

"We think we're on to something bigger here, that can really benefit these kids.”

Flynn has no doubt many of the young athletes he saw this week will become success stories. In fact, he admits it may be tougher for him to get the upper hand in recruiting players for the Wildcats.

"The word is out there now that there are good players here. The timing for us to get Teddy (Stephens) was perfect. Nobody knew about Yukon hockey.

"But he went on to become one of the best players on a championship team, and one of the best players in the league. Ted Stephens' story is well known now.”

Indeed, Kozak admitted he's been eyeing a few players that perhaps would look good in a Millionaires jersey.

"Have I been doing any scouting? Yeah, I've talked to a few guys. There's one player in particular that we're after,” he said coyly.

It's been eight years since the Northwestel Summit Hockey School started. Eight years from now there'll be new Yukon hockey players to talk about, new success stories.

And just maybe, if Summit's new ideas stick, they'll be talked about in the same breath as the likes of Kozak's former player, Mike Richards — one of the best leaders in the game.