Playing hockey in Israel with a big maple leaf on your chest holds plenty of allure for today’s Canadian youngsters.
That no doubt explains why there are no places left for the junior team tryouts for next summer’s World Jewish Junior Hockey Championship in Metulla, Israel.
All 60 spots have been assigned and the overall quality of the players is quite remarkable, said Alex Voihanski, a member of hockey operations of the Israel Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the tournament and tryout organizers. The tryouts are scheduled to run June 22 to 24 at the Pavilion Arena in Thornhill (130 Racco Parkway), and spectators are welcome to take in the competition.
Most skaters hail from Toronto and are of AAA and AA calibre, with futures in U.S. college and Canadian junior ranks, Voihanski said. A good number will be making the trip from other Canadian communities. Eight are expected from Montreal, six from Ottawa, five from Winnipeg and a couple from Vancouver.
They’re paying their own way for the chance to compete in next year’s event, which is a follow-up to the 2007 World Jewish Hockey Championships that was won by the United States. That tournament was aimed at adult players from Canada, Israel, the United States and France, but interest was so high that organizers decided to expand it to include a junior component. The under-18 event, which will run from July 5 to 17, 2009, is geared to youngsters born between 1992 to 1994. The tournament will coincide with the Maccabiah Games, which get under way on July 12, but are not part of that event, Voihanski said.
Most skaters are attracted by the opportunity to play in Israel and to represent their country doing so. In recruiting players, many were giddy with the prospect of playing summer hockey in the Holy Land, he said.
The tryouts will also give IIHF organizers the opportunity to scout potential players for the Israeli national junior team. That squad relies for the bulk of its hockey talent on skaters playing in Canada who are eligible for the Israeli team.
Sidney Greenberg, head of the IIHF, said, “I want the Jewish community in Canada to see the quality and talent level of the young Jewish hockey players in this country.
“In the process of getting players to try out, we were fortunate enough to find elite level players with Israeli passports who will hopefully one day play for Israel’s national teams.”
IIHF execs expect the airlifted players will strengthen the Israeli team at International Ice Hockey Federation tournaments while the the Israeli body develops sabra players in Israel.
Doing so is a lengthy process whose first step is to put in place programs to train Israel-based coaches.
Sherry Bassin, the owner of the OHL’s Erie Otters who also runs the IIHF’s hockey operations, will spearhead that effort.
With trained coaches on hand, the task of developing Israeli players through quarterly training camps and by recruiting players from Israel’s popular roller hockey league will continue. In the end, that grassroots initiative is the best way to create a foundation for future Israeli hockey teams, Voihanski said.
Bassin will also organize the Pavilion training camp and will model it on OHL camps. Players can expect OHL and NHL-level coaching.
For more information, visit the IIHF’s Web site at www.israelicehockey.com.