Niagara Catholic has adopted a new leadership program for students and staff that has some pretty high-profile “teachers.”

 28-8: The Power of Teamwork, is an innovative program intended to help students and administrators develop and enhance their leadership skills using the 1972 Summit Series as a backdrop. The name is derived from the 28,800 seconds in the eight hockey games played between the best Canadian and Soviet player of their time.

The program was launched during the August Director’s Meeting in Niagara Falls, which included members of Team Canada ’72, Dennis Hull, Phill Esposito, Brad Park, Pat Stapleton and coach Harry Sinden.

28-8: The Power of Teamwork offers a three-prong approach to our schools. Using the stories of how the very diverse and highly competitive players had to work together to become a team which would ultimately – and unexpectedly – beat the powerful Soviet juggernaut, students and staff learn leadership and teamwork skills.

Through programs like this, Catholic schools in Ontario offer a caring and inclusive learning environment that nurtures the academic, spiritual and physical development of every student.

The 28-8: Power of Teamwork program is the result of months of consultation and planning between Niagara Catholic staff, Team Canada 1972 and Brock University’s Goodman School of Business,