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Spokane Chiefs sharpen their English before sharpening their skates

For the past five months, the Spokane Chiefs have been attending a five-credit college class in a makeshift classroom at the Spokane Arena.

SPOKANE, Wash. — Players with the Spokane Chiefs have a new assignment: English 101.

The Chiefs play at the Spokane Arena for 34 games a season, which doesn't really give them time for anything else. But thanks to a partnership with Spokane Community College (SCC), they're now able to get an education.

Mac Gross is one of 12 Chief players that heads to a college class before hockey practice.

"I think we guys kind of all bought into it," Gross said. "And I think it was a really good opportunity for us to really gel together."

This is the first season that the college is offering the five-credit course.

"We're all about developing players, not only on the ice, but off the ice," said Mark Miles, the President of the Chiefs. "Every one of them was ecstatic that we were we're making this mandatory, we're continuing education for the players that are done with high school and they're not just sitting around focusing on hockey."

When the Chiefs approached the college for the English class, they welcomed the idea with open arms. 

"With English being a pretty tough university class, I think it would definitely set me back, especially because I'd have to wait three, four more years to even do that class," said Cooper Michaluk, a Chiefs player.

Gwen Cash-James, the dean for the  SCC College of Arts and Sciences says the college is offering one English 101 class twice a week for the Chiefs.

"I think that's the whole point of a community college is to be part of the community," Cash-James said. "The Chiefs are a big part of the Spokane community."

Class is held at the Spokane Arena so the players don't have to commute to the college.

"It's good to get in the routine of doing your homework, doing some school and then also hanging out with the guys and the hockey aspect as well," Gross said.

For some players, it's more than just keeping their brain at work.

"It kind of takes off the load for when I'm done playing the who and it's been fun," Michaluk said. "I mean, our teacher's made it really easy for us and made it really accessible for us when we're on the road trip and stuff."

Chiefs players will continue in class until the end of the season, and the college says they hope to bring back the class next year.

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