The hockey community at the North Shore Winter Club was happy to provide ice for the Ice Crocs, a visiting team from Australia.
The snow, however 鈥� that was Mother Nature鈥檚 bonus gift.
The Ice Crocs, one of the most unique hockey teams you鈥檒l meet, is visiting North Vancouver for 10 days this month to get in some training and see the sights of the Lower Mainland before carrying on to the famous Quebec International Peewee Hockey Tournament next week.
When the Ice Crocs arrived Feb. 3 they were greeted warmly by their billet families from the Winter Club, and coldly by a fresh batch of snow.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so much better because of the snow,鈥� said Jed Lake, a 12-year-old forward with the team.
鈥淰ancouver is nice, but a bit cold for us,鈥� added 11-year-old goalie Bryce Kitching.
There isn鈥檛 much snow where the Ice Crocs come from 鈥� the team is based in New South Wales, where it was 40 C on the day they left 鈥� and some team members were seeing flakes for the first time in their lives when they got off the plane at Vancouver International Airport. They are, however, hockey crazy, finding a way to develop their skills despite the challenges of growing up in a country without a strong hockey tradition. Some players come from families with Canadian or Russian heritage, while others just happened upon the game in Australia and fell in love, said Ice Crocs manager Querida Faber.
鈥淔or some people to train, it actually takes them an hour and 15 minutes to get to an ice rink,鈥� Faber said. 鈥淭he parents are passionate, but it is driven by the kids because they鈥檝e got to want to travel. To get to any ice rink, you鈥檙e lucky if it鈥檚 half an hour.鈥�
The Ice Crocs are loving their time here seeing the sights and getting a crash course in what life is like for the young Winter Club players they are billeting with in North Vancouver.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really good to see the level you can play at if you put in the effort and the commitment to the game,鈥� said Kitching. 鈥淪eeing the way they train and play, it鈥檚 mesmerizing because they play so smoothly, they play with such skill and commitment and precision. It鈥檚 just perfect. The hockey here is really good.鈥�
The Ice Crocs are hitting the ice for daily practices 鈥� working with their own coaches as well as guest coaches from the Winter Club 鈥� while spending their off-ice time exploring the Lower Mainland, including trips to Grouse Mountain, the Capilano Suspension Bridge and an outing to Monday鈥檚 Vancouver Canucks game, a 6-2 win over the Nashville Predators that included appearances by Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Trevor Linden, Stan Smyl and Marcus Naslund for Legends Night, a precursor event to the Sedins getting their numbers retired Feb. 12.
Both Lake and Kitching mentioned that it was the speed of the game that initially drew them to ice hockey growing up in Australia.
鈥淭here鈥檚 contact, you get to fire pucks at goalies, and you get to dangle,鈥� said Lake with a smile.
鈥淚t鈥檚 fast, it鈥檚 fun,鈥� added Kitching. 鈥淚 get to have pucks flying at high speeds. It鈥檚 just fun all around 鈥� you get to meet new people."聽聽
The actual hockey they play here and in Quebec may fade from memory, but the experiences they are having on the trip and the friendships they are creating with their host familes will last for a long time, said Faber. 聽
鈥淔or many of these kids, it鈥檚 their first time away from home,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e loving Vancouver, but they鈥檙e loving the hospitality that they鈥檝e been shown by the North Shore Winter Club and also by the billets. 鈥� In a couple of year鈥檚 time they probably won鈥檛 remember the hockey but I think they鈥檒l remember the experiences like visiting the Vancouver billet families and all those things that they鈥檒l keep for a lifetime.鈥�
The trip is also providing the Ice Crocs with a break from the wildfires that ravaged Australia in recent weeks and are still burning in some areas. No one associated with the team lost their homes, but everyone is affected in some way and everyone knows someone who has been hit hard by the fires.
鈥淢y husband works with people that their family鈥檚 home was burnt down,鈥� said Faber. 鈥淭here鈥檚 always someone that has a connection that has lost everything.鈥�
While they鈥檙e here, however, they鈥檙e feeling like they are right at home with their new friends, said Faber.
鈥淰ancouver and the country of Canada itself, it鈥檚 really nice because you guys are just so open in letting everyone in鈥�. The kids have really enjoyed how much people have just stopped and talked to them and that whole community feel which sometimes in a hustling bustling city of Sydney, to be honest with you, we've lost that. So that side of it's been really, really nice. The enthusiasm shown by Canadians to see us, it's been awesome.鈥澛� 聽 聽 聽 聽聽
