"Pops" was originally a harness maker, later switching to bicycles and then he added sporting goods to his array of products. The definitive point in his years came when he reinvented the hockey wheel ... the goalie pad. It was the manager of the Hamilton team, then of the National Hockey League, that approached "Pops" to create something new for his goalie, Jackie Forbes.

Before long, there were pro goalies coming into the store to buy the pads off the shelf, the wait for a custom pair proved too long for most and the Kenesky's had to turn away customer after customer. Only the pro goalies and top senior and junior 'A' goalies had a chance of getting their hands on one of the 300 pairs that the store turned out in a year.

Goaltending giants wore the Kenesky name, legends like Terry Sawchuk, Gump Worsley, Glen Hall, Harry Lumley, Turk Broda, Johnny Bower and even Ron Hextall most recently.

"Pops" created variations in the models to suit the requirements of his goalies as the years went on. The original pads were made from California creamed horse-hide, cotton sheeting and kapok. As contractors leave marks on their jobs, goalies left their marks on the their equipment, requests to have a rabbit's foot sewn into the pad was amongst the requests of customers, not a shocking detail if you are familiar with the habits of most netminders.

The Kenesky pads have been everywhere, on virtually every leg of all the stars of the hall of fame and the unheralded keepers of the cage. The pads even rode on the Hindenberg for a special delivery, but the Kenesky's never bled into more than 300 pairs of pads a year, having to turn away many wanting customers.

"Pops" was still putting in his eight hours a day when he was 86, it was 11 years later in 1974 that the equipment industry and hockey world said goodbye to Emil "Pops" Kenesky. The brothers of Emil would continue to care for the infamous store, until ownership changed hands to another hockey enthusiast, sworn to uphold the integrity and tradition that lies within the walls of the shrine that is Kenesky Sports, the home of the Goalie Loft and the maker of the goalie pad.

The Kenesky Goaltending School
Keep Your Stick on the Ice & The Puck Out of the Net

Backed by "21" years of experience, the Kenesky Goalie School is one of the oldest goalie training facilities in Canada. Goaltending has changed and so have we. Although the basics are still our #1 priority, we strive to work with a goalies existing style, not change it. We adapt the style to hide weakness and improve strengths. Our staff is comprised of teachers and students of the game. We all love to play goal, and we all agree that the learning process never ends, whether you are 7 or 47. Repetition is the key to success!

The Kenesky Goaltending School we: