Tania Knapik

(CaymanHockey): Hockey fans around the world are rejoicing with the recent news that the 113 day NHL lockout is now over. Whilst the season won’t start for another ten days, fans of the sport can get their hockey fix this weekend as the CI Youth Roller Hockey Club hosts the 3rd Annual Cayman Hockey Fights Cancer Youth Street Hockey Tournament. Taking place beside the ARC at Cayman International School on Saturday, January 12^th, this tournament is designed to help grow the sport of hockey but more importantly raise funds for the Cayman Cancer Society.

This year, fifty percent of the proceeds raised will be donated directly to the Cayman Cancer Society with the intention of funding a special project to build a new chemotherapy unit at the George Town Hospital. The other fifty percent will be injected back into youth hockey with the hopes of further developing the programme and getting more and more kids participating in the sport.

Aaron Knapik, one of the volunteer tournament organisers is grateful for the support the event continues to receive year after year. Mr. Knapik said, “Once again we are very pleased that the community continues to rally behind this event and our efforts to raise funds for such a worthwhile benefactor – the Cayman Cancer Society.   We are thankful for the support of our main sponsors, Camana Bay, Ernst & Young and the Dart Foundation.  We also wish to thank our junior sponsors, Mourant Ozannes, Greenlight RE, Re/Max and Willis Global Insurance.  Most of all we wish to thank the kids, for coming out and experiencing a fun day of hockey whilst raising funds for other kids who due to cancer, may not yet be able to experience such a magical day.”

Jennifer Weber of the Cayman Islands Cancer Society said, “The Cayman Islands Cancer Society is grateful for all the donations we receive from the generous community in which we live.  When people choose to give to the Cancer Society, they are helping us help others in Cayman.  Donations earmarked for special projects like a new chemotherapy unit will help us create a new state of the art facility in partnership with the Health Services Authority.  These large scale projects come with large costs but the benefit to the community, the patients and families is priceless.”

With the majority of players gaining their hockey experience from Kings Youth Roller Hockey League, one component of the tournament is to have one member of the team not be in the league. This caveat is to help introduce kids to a new sport and help grow the hockey programme in Cayman.  Roller Hockey is a relatively new sport to Cayman that has caught on quickly. There were 160 participants in the Street Hockey tournament last year and even more players are expect to register for this year’s event. There is also a category for interested ‘Hockey Moms’ in addition to age divisions covering 6U, 8U, 10U, 12U and 15U.

Street hockey requires minimal equipment. It can be played in running shoes and in most cases with a plastic hockey stick, making it an inexpensive activity that can be done in drive ways after school or on weekends.

The tournaments of the last two years raised funds in excess of CI$20,000 for local charities, including Cayman Hospice and UNICEF Cayman Kids. The CI Youth Roller Hockey Club expects to raise more funds this year through additional sponsorship and increased registrations.

Although registration is closed, the tournament remains a fun spectator event for those not playing and the organizers encourage all those who need a little hockey fix or enjoy watching a great sport to come down to Camana Bay (the road in front of CIS’s athletic facilities) this Saturday. The tournament is scheduled to start at 9am and will last for most of the day. For more tournament information please contact Aaron Knapik at: [email protected] or call 345-323-0898.