By Dave Branton-Brown
More than 500 hockey players of all ages took part in the first annual Ottawa 67’s ball hockey tournament at Lansdowne Park to raise awareness about autism.
Sixty ball hockey teams took over the rear parking lots at Lansdowne late last month to help kick off the opening weekend for the Ottawa 67’s new season.
“It’s a day of good fun and good hockey,” says 22-year-old Eli Rassi as he straps on his goalie pads.
Rassi says his friends from high school decided to put a team together for the tournament.
“Anything you do for charity is always worthwhile.”
Vanessa Penny, special projects manager for the 67’s, says the main goal of the event was to raise awareness about Children at Risk, an Ottawa-based organization that helps autistic children and their families.
But the 67’s also donated $150 raised in a raffle at the event to the charity.
The money from pre-registered teams paid for operational costs like facility rental fees and advertising.
“We were truly honoured to be chosen as the recipient charity,” says Brenda Reisch, charity co-ordinator for Children at Risk. “The nice thing about an event like that is that it can involve kids and adults.”
Many players at the tournament agreed with Reisch.
“Everybody likes to have fun at any age,” says Kevin Kelly, 47, as an orange ball whizzes by and rolls into a distant parking lot.
Kelly is one of several volunteers who house 67’s players that come from outside Ottawa for the season.
These volunteers, and many parents of 67’s players visiting for the opening weekend, entered a team into the tournament.
Lynne Culley, 62, has been taking in 67’s players for the last 15 years. She says the volunteers and parents don’t mind the age difference at the tournament.
“We’ve played against all younger fellas and they’re really nice,” she says in between shifts on the sidelines.
Penny says most teams are able to compete against teams in a similar age category.
The ball hockey tournament includes both a recreational and competitive category. Most teams with very young players compete in the recreational division.
Dawn Carle and other parents brought players from a minor hockey team in Nepean to the event. The kids were mostly between ages seven and eight.
“They love to play hockey whether it’s on the ice or on the concrete,” Carle says.
In the competitive bracket, three levels—beginner, intermediate and advanced—ensure that the five-person teams (plus substitutes) play opponents at similar skill levels.
There are prizes for the winners of each division.
Penny says the system has worked well this year, but organizers might tinker with the system to make it even better next year.
“The best part about this has been seeing the positive, competitive spirit in people,” she says. “We’re definitely really happy for the first year. It’s a great response from the public.”
Participants have also responded positively to the event.
“I think it’s been really good for the whole community,” Culley says.
“I think they should do it again. It will be good for charities.”
The event is set up to entertain spectators as well as the ball hockey players.
This year, food and drink were available in the Aberdeen Pavilion and a local band was on hand. The Food Network was also taping an episode of Road Grill, a travelling BBQ show hosted by former CFL quarterback Matt Dunigan.
But the hockey games themselves are exciting for spectators. Orange balls fly in every direction as teams battle it out on the pavement.
Players sport team jerseys borrowed from ball hockey leagues or pieced together for the event.
The action seems to be everywhere as multiple games take place at the same time.
Penny says she doesn’t mind that the event didn’t reach its target of 250 teams this year.
“We hope to make it bigger every year,” she says. “I definitely think we’ll set a world record at some point.”