Taking Flight:Who's that skating through your legs

Taking Flight

So signing season is pretty much over. Pre-Season begins this week and the rosters are pretty much set with a few players to be signed in places. Coaches will now spend this weekend tinkering with rosters and strategy ideas, seeing how their new signings gel with those players who have returned. The same will be the case here in Streatham as new player coach Adam Carr gets set to see if his assembled team can challenge for a trophy, will be mid table fodder or worst of all fighting for the wooden spoon.

Flying the nest

As with any off season, players have come and players have gone. So first lets asses who the team has said good bye to this off season.

Joshua Condren

One of Jeremy Cornishes development projects from last season, the Croydon native saw his season truncated by a mid season concussion injury. Limiting him to only 23 games. When healthy he did look a good fit in the bottom 6 of the team. And was showing signs of developing in to a good special teams player. Right now Condren has not been announced as signing anywhere else, but my money would have been on a return to Invicta.

Ryan Webb

A way to look at Ryan Webbs departure is that it was a trade to Bracknell in exchange for us signing one of if not the best forwards in the league this season(and if you don't know who that is where have you been?) With Webb leaving the team lost a key part of its top 6, the way Webb linked up with Roberts and Carr made them a three headed monster. Webb would win the corner wars and feed Roberts or Carr at the net. He also became an adept rebound specialist, his speed allowing him to out pace defensemen in getting to lose pucks. Over the last 2 seasons Webb has shown he belongs at a higher level and will get that chance with Dough Shepperd in Bracknell

Ben Russell

One 4th of the MK Connection departs the club, heading back to second tier hockey with the new MK Lightning set up. Ben was brought in as part of Jeremy Cornishes concept of building a team with more experience. Even though he's 25 Ben has hockey experience in spades. A good offensively minded D-Man he gave the teams power play more depth and offensive options. While also providing a solid strong option in the teams own defensive end.

Leigh Jamieson

A 2nd 4th of the quartet I called the MK Connection also fly's the nest. This one to be honest I knew was coming the second it was revealed that the MK Lightnig were dropping down to National League. While Carr Farn and Jaimo may be good friends and that will have had a great deal to do with the club landing Jamiesons signature last season. Jamieson is MK through and through, and when the Lightning went Elite I am sure Jaimo saw his chance to retire a Lightning player evaporate, so I don't blame him for grabbing the chance to keep playing at home in MK one bit.

A versatile player who can be used both as a forward or defenceman Jaimeson gave the Redhawks options besides Michael Farn on the power play. The two were like howitzers bombing in pucks on the power play. Jaimeson could be a game changer at times for the Redhawks using speed no one of his size should posses to skilfully skate up ice and leave opposition D men standing. A leader on and off the ice Jaimo was also more than willing to stand up for team mates when called upon.

Tom Soar

Opting to return home to the midlands and the Solihull Barons, as I can only assume the job he was in the capital for has now concluded. Soar arrived with a great deal of fanfare and expectation placed upon him. His stats, and experience all pointed to a player who should dominate in the NIHL.

Sadly Soar struggled to adapt at first, and a lot of the expectations failed to materialise in the eyes of many. I felt this was unfair, as his stats though a drop in comparison to previous seasons should take in to account that the NIHL 1 North was a much weaker league than NIHL 1 South. And so Soar finding it harder to get regular points shouldn't have been a shock as his opposition was more ex EPL than NIHL most weeks. That said he was  a strong presence on the Powerplay and PK units and always in the mix around the net and came up with some very big goals. Certainly he's a player I would have liked back this season.

Jacob Ranson

The teams resident Taylor Swift lookalike as my former flat mate described him, has departed after 3 seasons. The teams terrier of a defensive forward, who was tenacious both on and off the puck has returned home to join Romfords assault on the new National league,he leaves a big gap in the bottom 6 that will be hard to fill.

Ever since I saw him play as a development player for Doug Shepperds Bison I was impressed with Ransons sheer speed. He can strip a player and be gone in a flash, hence while my flatmate was calling him Taylor Swift, I dubbed him the Flash. Though not always on target he could still pop up with vital goals or create them. His speed and tenacity will be missed.

Andreas Siagris

The teams other member of the speed force has opted to return home to Canada. 2 seasons ago the opening salvos of the first "NIHL 1 " season had seen Streatham compete but struggle against the bigger budget EPL teams. Coach Cornish had identified that the team needed some import players to boost the strength of the squad. However with little to no budget options were limited. Luckily the answer was under his nose. By virtue of his attending University in London Andreas Siagris had been training at the rink and was training with the team. Seeing that he had the ability to contribute Cornish signed up the young Canadian.

He made an impact from the start, bringing a speed , skill and style that was lacking. I described his as Tomas Karpov light as he would out dangle players in much the same way Karpov could. Over the course of two seasons Siagris became a firm fan favourite with his break away goals a particular favored high light. His speed, creativity and tenacity will all be hard things to replace. Especially in the current import market.

Alex Roberts

Probably the biggest gut punch the fan base has had this off season was the announcement that Alex Roberts had signed to play in the Frances second tier. Alex Roberts was very much a gamble of an import signing, but one that paid off so well that I very much expected the Canadian power forward would be heading for the National League if he stayed in Britain. With seemingly every teams coach envious of the team being the ones to land the smooth skating sniper.

With Roberts departure a giant hole has been left in the line up. 59 points, 32 of which are goals are not easy to simply sign. Neither is the ability Roberts had for turning PK poke checks in to break away short handed goals. It wasn't just the points Roberts generated it was also the presence he held on the ice. Teams would be forced to pay much closer attention to Roberts freeing up space for his line mates to wreck havoc on the opposition. Signing a player that fills these holes will be difficult, especially if its a new import but Carr should be able to find someone to meet these needs.

Coming In To Land

So those are the players departing, which has left a fair few roster spots to be filled. With the NIHL resetting to its original format coach Carr is looking to be a title challenger this season. So who has he signed to realise this dream? 

The Streatham Hawks

Though not officially a part of the Streatham organisation and so not really a new signing the formation of an NIHL 2 side in Streatham is to me an important signing of sorts. Graham D'Anger talked in an end of season article about how there was no pathway in UK hockey from U18/U20 to the pro level. With the formation of the Hawks steps are now being taken here in Streatham to create a pathway from the academy to the main roster.

Now while the Hawks will be run by the academy(a wise decision as it insulates both sides against any issues that may effect either club financially) I hope that the Redhawks will look to work with the Hawks to develop players for the roster, certainly having those NIHL 2 players and prospects who show promise training with the NIHL 1 side and getting on the bench to increase the teams depth can only help. In turn of course the NIHL 1 could help by making certain players available on 2 ways to get them some extra ice time, and help encourage the development of the relationship by aiding the Hawks when possible.

Adam Carr

Adam Carr evolves from team captain to head player coach this off season. With the news that head coach Jeremy Cornish was departing the club, everyone began looking around wondering who would take his place. But the club made the right decision in my mind in giving Adam Carr the reigns, in exchange for letting Carr cut his teeth as a coach the team got a first line centre and player who at this level still contributes a lot in front of the net. No doubt there will have been National league sides seeking his services so this a great signing for the club.

In Carr the club sees the return of one of its on and off ice leaders in all departments. He contributes goals, creates them in spades and is an expert at garbage area players around the net. Combining him with two of the signings mentioned later in this article will see chaos reign in opponents defensive zones as he drives the play to the net before collecting rebounds and lose pucks. Expect to see him lead up the special teams on the PK and powerlay where his experience will come to the fore.

Michael Farn

The seasoned veteran NIHL All star defense man returns for another season in Streatham. Despite the return of the MK Lightning and other National league sides, Farn has decided that he wants to finish what he started when he signed in Streatham 3 years ago, and help out his good friend Adam Carr. When the two were signed by Jeremy Cornish the side was touted as a contender but this quickly changed with the EPL collapse. Now after putting in 3 All Star seasons in NIHL 1 Farn has stated he's hungry to see the Redhawks lift a trophy and he will do all he can to help that happen. And will lead from the front as team captain

The blue line bomber as I like to call him, will be an ever present threat in all situations for the Redhawks this season. Providing the teams heavy blue line artillery alongside Rupert Quinney Farn is a goalies worst nightmare when his sights are dialled in and there is the the just right amount of traffic at the net. Whether he is trying to score or set up goals with a bounce he is extremely effective. But its not just his offensive skill, Farn is a master of his own defensive zone forcing players wide when he has to and taking away lanes to the net, best of all he doesn't seem to have lost any of his speed in all these years. He will be one of those players Carr looks to, to lead and lean on heavilly in the high pressure situations of a trophy challenge.

Damien King

The king, has returned. Damien King returns to Streatham for a 2nd season in red and white. I had my worries with the "new" look of the league King would be headed back to Invicta. But Adam Carr has convinced the 2017 play off winner to return to the Streatham crease for another season in red and white.

A look at stats alone would suggest King had a dip in form in 2018/19, but that isn't the whole story and does not reflect the calibre of goalie he is. In a league stacked with high end offensive calibre players King held his own last season, and while he may have let more past than he would have liked he never made it easy for any team to do so. Every game King would pull off amazing saves and put in the kind of performances that make him what he is, and what the team needs. A goalie capable of helping the Redhawks challenge for trophies this season.

Nathen Gregory

Behind every great starter there is a very good back up net minder. In Nathan Gregory Adam Carr has landed just that. His 18/19 season was cut short by an arm injury that saw him relinquish his back up position to Brett Shepherd. But Gregory is back fighting fit and ready to reclaim his position in the side

At 22 years old, Gregory is still very much a development prospect. Someone who will benefit greatly from working alongside the experienced Damien King. Hi stats for last season look impressive and he looks solid any time he gets put in net. If King has a blip in form at any point Gregory should be well positioned to take over the crease and put in some strong performances.
Gregory and King give the team a strong 1-2 in net.

Brendon Miles

Brendon Miles makes his return to Streatham after a year away playing for Invicta. Graduate of the Slough Jets academy system Miles returns to Streatham for his third stint in a Stretaham jersey. A popular fan favourite due to his physical style of play and willingness to play the enforcer Miles saw his role on the Dynamos squad of last year a bit removed from this. With the Dynamo's short handed most of the season Miles saw top line minutes and while his penalty count was at its highest last season, when the Mo's did visit last season he seemed to show more restraint than had been shown in a season that saw suspensions truncate it to 26 appearances for Streatham.

Miles fits the mould for the type of players I suspect Carr is looking to build the squad around. If I am correct this years team will mirror the kind of make up we saw in Carrs first season with size and speed spread across all the lines. More importantly as has been said by Carr, Miles wants to kick on from last season where his role was elevated from that of a bang and crash player.If the team mirrors the style of play Cornish had them playing last season, his style of physicality will fit in well, especially when it comes to wars in the corner.

Adam Wood

Adam Wood returns for his 6th season in Streatham. Though he may have joined from Cardiff no one bleeds Streatham red and white more than the man who has worn the assistant captains letter for the past few seasons. Just as with Brandon Miles Wood is very popular with the fan base and with team mates. Streathams equivalent of Brad Marchand or Brendan Gallagher Wood is a pest that winds up opponents every shift. However he is more than willing to back up his shenanigans when needed, and is more than able to challenge anyone who he feels is taking liberties

Wood fills the need for flexibility in the roster, as he can play both on defence and offence. Which will come in handy when any injuries bite at either end of the line up. Wood showed signs of evolving in to a more offensively threatening forward last season. Which when you consider the make up of the league last season shows the quality he has. Hopefully he can kick on this coming season and keep up the pace that saw him end the season on his 3rd highest points total. That is exactly what Carr has stated he is expecting from Wood

Rupert Quinney

Returning for a second season back in the Red and White, homegrown D man Quinney will be looking to build on a season that saw him ice 35 times and play a pivotal role on the special teams. With the departures of Jaimeson and Russell it was important for coach Carr to retain the services of Quinney for the coming season to provide a more physical stay at home presence to counter Farns offensive style.

Combined with Farn on the back end, Quinney provides some potent firepower. The powerplay will have point shot options that can flexibly be split between the two units. With well over 300 games experience at the pro level and over seas experience Quinney will give experience depth to compliment Farn. His pysical style of play will be well suited to Streathams corner warfare game plan, hopefully he can avoid the injury bug that struck him in recent seasons. Flexibility up and down the line up is important and Quiney's signing allows Carr to disperse offensive D men through out the lines

James Warman

Continuity in a teams make up is so important to challenging for trophies. With the return of James Warman coach Carr ensures that. Already tremendously experienced at this level at such a young age. Warman is someone who I dubbed a specialist on small rinks last season having played in both Cardiff big blue tent and been a product of Telfords junior system.

Another offensive minded defenseman, however one with more of an all round edge as he is also very good in his own end. He knows the Streatham rink inside out having been on the roster now for 5 seasons already with this being his 6th. He's another who enjoys the physical style, but while he puts himself about on teh ice and lets opponents know he is there, he also has speed to burn. Meaning he can be deployed alongside the likes of Farn or Quinney to provide that speedy cover if the two offensive D pinch down a bit too far.

Jordan Gregory

Making it 5 out of 6 returnees on the defensive end its Jordan Gregory. Already at 23 years old Gregory has an impressive level of playing experience on par with many of his fellow D men on this team. This year will likely see him break the century mark as a Redhawk.

A physical more stay at home style player Gregory will provide the team with that hang back presence while the more offensive D foray forward. He will likely see big minutes on the PK where his physical style and noted strength in the corners and around the net will see him come in to his own.

Ben Paynter

After a year away as part of Doug Shepperds maiden season in Bracknell Ben Paynter returns to pick up where he left off in SW16. With over 270 games of pro experience at 24 Ben is another with plenty of playing experience but combined with youth. A fan favourite during his previous stints in Streatham, undoubtedly the same will be likely this time around.

A truculent, physical style player Paynter will be another antagonist in the clubs arsenal. Much Liek Wood he is not afraid to wind up opponents. But aside from the sand paper and grit he provides he will also provide offensive skill as well. Though his stats don't scream goal scorer Paynter pops up with goals at vital moments. He's very much an all situations player and his love of the physical game should come very much in handy on the PK as well as goal mouth scrambles on the power play.

Danny Ingoldsby

When It was announced Danny Ingoldsby was not returning to Basinsgtoke it was suspected he was heading back to Bracknell to join up with Doug Shepperd. However the Frimley born, product of the Guidlford juniopr system has instead opted to sign here in Streatham. Despite being 22 Ingoldsby already has a fairly good amount of professional experience under his belt, with well over 200 games at both EPL and NIHL level. With international experiece for GB U18 thrown in as well.

With the loss of Jacob Ranson from the team, a new injection of tenacity was needed. In Danny Ingoldsby Adam Carr has found that tenacity. He may give up a bit in terms of speed to Ranson but the 6'1" forwrd is just as tenacious both on and off the puck. Always a player you notice on the ice, much like others in the squad he brings a good deal of physicality. While not a prolific goal scorer he can find the net, and did so 3 times against Streatham in the play offs. I expect to see Ingoldsby used heavily on PK duty where his size and tenacity should help defensively

Andrew Cook

Andrew Cook comes in with everything to prove. After a 5 years out of the sport(at least not playing anywhere that Elite Prospects or Hockey DB lists) Cook returns to the NIHL to pick up where he left off. Having been training with the side since last season he will be no stranger to Adam Carr and many of the returning members of the roster.

at 5'9" and 165lbs Cook will be looked to as one of the faster members of the Redhawks defence. However due to his lack of playing time over the last 5 years we will likely see him being phased in as he's brought back up to speed. However he was an impressive prospect during his time in the Northern leagues, and hopefully combined with his eagerness to get back on the ice this will all translate in to him picking up where he left off in 2014.

Conner Smith

A product of the Streatham youth system, Smith will be looking to push on and develop after a strong but injury shortened season in NIHL 2 for Lee Valley Lions. I would expect that Smith will also see ice time with the newly formed Streatham NIHL 2 side this year as an aid to his development.

Was a prolific points gatherer in junior and saw that translate in to 5 goals and 4 assists last season on a struggling Lee Valley side. While its unfair the expect these numbers from Smith out the gate, hopefully he can continue his scoring touch at this level. Has been training with the roster for a while now so is no stranger again to Carr or the rest of his team mates.

Rhys McCormick

Another young new face injecting a bit of youth in to the line up. Rhys McCormick will be another prospect in the pipeline so to speak that Adam Carr is looking to develop. At 20 years old he has already accrued a good bit of experience having played both abroad in Canada and at both NIHL 1 and 2 levels last season, with the Solent Devils and earning a call up to the Basingstoke Bison.

While his points totals may not be too impressive, as Carr has said in his press releases he is eager to learn and improve, and he is a player that has had nothing but good things said about him. Much Like with Smith and Cook I would expect to see him limited to low minutes to begin with, however the suspension of one team member for the first month of the season may give McCormick a chance to stake a claim for a roster spot higher up the order. Coach Carr wants to help him become an impact player and this opening may be the best way to do so.

Jonathan Wallius

A last minute addition to the squad, coach Carr will be hoping that lightning strikes twice for the club. That lightning being finding a quality import out of the BUIHA. Andreas Siagris worked out tremendously well and Jonathan Wallius boasts a very similar resume to the Canadian speedster. Having played in the GMHL and Finish junior leagues before making his way to London to study. Wallius has been training with the team for the last 2 weeks so will be no stranger to the roster. However he may need a little time to adjust

Whiel Siagris was a speedy winger, Wallius strikes me as being in the mould of a power forward much like Alex Roberts was. This fits in with the kind of line up that Adam Carr has built. A player who will put himself about physically, but also has proven scoring ability and speed to him. New imports are always voodoo, wizardry and nonsense. So right now any projections I could make would be wild guesses. But the hope will be that like Siagris Wallius develops in to a solid scoring forward able to take a place on the second power play unit.

Ryan Watt

Ryan Watt returns to Streatham, after a year away in Bracknell where he courted controversy at the tail end of last season. Watt is known more for his skills as an agitator and fighter than he is for his ability to find the net. However during the season he was a Redhawk, being used as a first line player saw a renaissance in the way he played as he would dangle around defenders looking for the net instead of a fight.

The team will be minus Watt for the first 7 games, a mercy courtesy of Bracknell keeping him on their roster after he was suspended 21 games for his going after James Ferrara and then getting in to an altercation with a fan as he left the ice. But once he returns expect him to take up the first line wing position alongside Carr, and look to return to the form he had last time he was in a Redhawks jersey. The form does seem to indicate this is possible as Watt seems to have a good followed by a bad season in terms of offensive production. I would expect him being used on the Powerplay when back will help boost these number and the teams performance as a direct result.

Vanya Antonov

As I used to sing when watching him play in Basingstoke.

Who's that skating through your legs? Vanya Vanya
Who's that skating through your legs? Vanya Antonov
Vanya Antonov, Vanya Antonov who's that skating through your legs Vanya Antonov

(If my friend Eleanor is reading this she is quoting Mean Girls at me and that I need to stop trying to make Fetch happen)


The marquis, and most unexpected free agent signing of the summer. One of if not the best snipers in the old EPL and the NIHL of the last 2 seasons, the speedy English trained Russina Vanya Antonov made the unlikely decision to sign here in Streatham. Now there are reasons behind this, wanting to focus on his education Vanya has chose Streatham as it will mean less travel time for him. But he is sure to be a crowd pleaser with his all skill and speedy style of play.

Speed, skill and an eye for the net. Antonov has it all, in one swoop the club has signed the replacement for both Ryan Webb and Alex Roberts who's goal and assist contributions were going to be difficult to replace. There is an argument as to why is such a talent dropping to NIHL 1, but focusing on his studies is a laudable reason for this. Paired with Adam Carr on the first line we can expect these two to become a deadly one two punch at both even strength and on the power play.
 Redhawks fans can expect to see plenty of the young forward signature raised stick celebration at the high road this season.

Conclusion

Its a roster built to make life hard for opponents who come to the high road. Both on the ice and on the score board. There is plenty of experience and potential up and down the line up, and every line will have some form of a physical presence player able to create space and allow the speedier more skilled players to move in to. It will be a team that provides entertaining modern hockey with that old time hockey edge in places.

 It certianly has the first line firepower to contend for a championship, and if certain elements of the secondary scoring bear fruit then the Redhawks could be in line to end the drought. Trying to be objective here though there are some question marks that give me pause as to whether this team will be lifting any trophies. Several players will need to continue the development and upward trends that saw Carr sign them, while certain others will need to catch up quickly to this level of competitive hockey. That being said there is enough quality at every position, and enough points potential at those positions that I could see the team being a contender come April.

5 For Thinking:Skydome Memories

5 FOR THINKING

SKY DOME MEORIES

So a few weeks back we had the NIHL Final 4 in Coventry. As I said in the last 5 for Thinking Coventry is very much my spiritual hockey home. It’s the city where I turned my life around and the city where I was baptised as a UK hockey fan and got the first stages of my education in the sport. Every year when I go back to Coventry for the play off weekend it’s a very nostalgic experience for me. I have, and will always feel a special connection to the Skydome and various sites around the city, most notably the Cathedral. As that was the spot I made the decision I wanted to attend university at Coventry.

      

   

               
This year possibly marked a big change for me in terms of my relationship with the Coventry play offs. The splitting up of the leagues means that this coming season I could be faced with the choice of following Streatham in the play offs in April or heading to Coventry to spend time with all the friends I have made over the years from the other fan bases. I know to some that may seem a no-brainer, but for me personally right now it’s a tough choice because my hockey friends represent a sort of found family for me. Who with the splitting of the leagues I may struggle to see next season. This had me contemplating all the memories I have of my time in Coventry over the course of that weekend. So today I would like to reminisce about my 10 favourite memories of the Skydome.

1. First Ever Blaze Game

September 22^nd 2008. It was my first night in Coventry having only moved in to halls that very day. And I was excited to explore my new city and finally get a taste of live hockey for the first time in my life. I have seen countless games since then, but this game will always stick in my mind. It was the game I was introduced to Blaze’s most famous line combo the ACDC line. Blaze had ripped the Panthers D apprt 10 minutes in to build a 4-0 lead. As first games go it was incredibly entertaining and I knew from that night on I was hooked as Blaze ran out 6-5 winners on the night. It is a night I will never forget as it was the night that a course was set in my life, a course that would inter twine my involvement with hockey with my future career path

2.All The Games I commentated for SITV

Scorched Ice TV was, for lack of better words my baby. A highlights channel for the NIHL 1 team of the Coventry Blaze. I owe my degree to the whole project as it was editing and working on SITV  that lead in to my career as an editing assistant. SITV was designed as a method to gain more filming and editing experience both for myself and my fellow students, while getting some new exposure for the Blaze B team. In my second year on the project I had found myself in position as producer and been promoted to on air personality as a commentator and presenter.

Partnered with Paul Wheeler I got an incredible education in the game and how it actually worked. I grew from just a fan, who always saw things through the rose tints to a fan who could see the break down of the play. As would later be remarked on my playing ability, if only my body could keep up with the way my mind was playing the game I’d be lethal. It wasn’t just the education I got though, SITV was an immense amount of fun. Working with Paul was a joy as we developed quite a good dynamic working well with each other and having many a laugh along the way. Be it on the broadcast, away in Whitley Bay or in the stands at Nottingham nothing could stop Paul and I chirping players while analyzing the way they played.

The Night Wheeler and I were at Maximum Snark in Nottingham

3. Blaze V Panthers Bench Clearance

As my time in hockey has progressed, so to have my feelings on the sport and its core elements. While I loved a good fight back in the day, nowadays with all the info about CTE and other brain injuries we have seen come out of hockey my feelings on fighting have become somewhat different. There are now times I feel a fight can be warranted, others not so much. In the case of December 4^th 2010 when the Coventry Blaze and Nottingham Panthers played one another it was certainly one of those nights where a fight was warranted.

The tense Blaze Vs Panthers rivalry exploded in the first bench clearing brawl British Hockey had seen in years. Following Tom Darnell's poor officiating of the game, combined with his failure to protect Brett Jaeger from repeated attempts by Panthers players to aggravate a back injury Jaeger had suffered by falling on him and crashing the net hard. The game had grown tense and bad tempered, or chippy as we say. Then it all exploded in a flash point, having been thrown out of the game for protesting another soft call against him Brad Cruikshank decided to give Nottingham a taste of its own medicine, and ran the Panthers net minder as he was leaving the ice. Both benches would clear and a brawl the likes of which I hadn’t seen took place.

This makes the list quite purely because it was a very fun night, and the hockey game around it was another bad tempered yet enjoyable Panthers Blaze rivalry game. But also because it was one of those, I was there moments in UK hockey history.

4. BISON 4-0 TELFORD
Breaking The Dragons Curse

The 2018 Play Off weekend was a memorable and fun one in itself without the hockey. Following the total collapse of EPL hockey the NIHL had been forced in to a working relationship with its wealthier cousins. There was some concern the NIHL sides fan bases would not buy in to an EPIHL style play off weekend format. This of course wasn't helped by the final 4 teams being EPL sides, Basingstoke,Sheffield,Peterborough and Telford. However when the Whitley Warriors fans arrived in forced and brought the party with them all those fears went away. They started a conga line around the dome, they turned up in fancy dress, they chanted for the Bison. In short they were the life of the party.

The Eyes Of The Dragon. Awaits to feed on the title hopes of the Bison

Of course while all this was happening, there was hockey to be played. Having won the NIHL South 1 league title the Bison had drawn the Coventry Blaze locker room, or the cursed locker room for those who believe in such things(me included) over the previous seasons I had seen the Dragons curse(so named for the dragon face painted on the doors at the entrance players entering from this locker room use) claim the play off aspirations of all the league winners who had occupied it.

Saturday had seen the Bison and Telford qualify for the play off final. Setting up a grudge match of sorts between two teams with a recent and bad tempered history that stretched back to the previous years play off weekend. To say I was nervous was an understatement, both teams were stacked with talent and the Tigers were desperate to end their play off trophy drought. The game would see Big rink speed and skill, vs small rink grit grind and toughness.

Images Courtesy 5 Hole Photography

The nerves were killing me, if there is one thing I had come to hate more than anything in hockey in recent times it had been losing to the Tigers. All logic and reason of how the ice surface size suited the Bison more than the Tigers had left me, all I could think was how this Tigers team had beaten a Phantoms side the Bison had struggled with that season. And how Bison had only just got by Sheffield in a far from dominant performance.

What followed though a 4-0 win for the Bison was an incredible game of hockey. Its not often that I will describe a 4-0 game as incredible, and there is possibly a degree of emotional attachment due to my adoptive team winning it. But I still remember how I leapt out of my seat as Vanya Antonov fired the wrister in that made it 4-0. The treble of trophies was sealed and the party went on in to the night as the curse of the Dragon was broken. 

5. Bison Win The Play Off Championship

The 2014 Play off weekend was my first weekend back in Coventry as a hockey fan. And it was only a few months in to my time with the Bison fan base. It was kind of an eye opening weekend for me, as for a long time I hadn’t really been making friends at hockey. But in the space of one evening I made several friendships that have lasted to this day. Both within the Bison fan base and without.  It could have been a very lonely weekend if not for this and my former Panthers team mate Chris Neve being around to keep me company I don’t think I would have had the fun I did. Which may have impacted my wanting to some back.

The 2014 play off weekend was the culmination of a season of hope for Bison. Having narrowly been piped by the Manchester Phoenix for the league title, the Bison found themselves up against derby rivals the Guildford Flames in the semi final game. It was a game that saw Nicky Chinn role back the years and go end to end to score a sublime goal. The Bison would prevail setting up a final encounter with the Phoenix. A grudge match showdown between the league two best teams. While the Phoenix would take the lead the Bison would claw it back, and it would be a thrilling bomb from the blue line by Tom Karpov that would seal the deal as the Bison won 5-3 to seal a challenge cup and play off double.

6. First Practice as a Panther

2008 wasn’t just the year I began watching hockey, it was also the year I began playing hockey again. At 16 I had convinced my parents to buy me the kit to play roller hockey. I was thrilled to be trying my hand at hockey. It lasted one practice, during a training drill I took a hit and was thrown one way, while my leg went the other. The result was a broken tibula and fibula that had to be plated and pinned. For a long time I didn’t want to think about hockey, and never wanted to play again. But over time I came to see that I shouldn’t let the fear of getting injured ruin my interaction with something I loved.

So in 2008 one Thursday night I grabbed my gear and headed to the Skydome for the open practice of the Warwick Panthers. From the moment I arrived it was apparent to many on the team I was nervous. Luckily several of the players(most noteably our goalie Dave Nicol) took the time to calm me down and try to ease my worries. However I did insist on being put in the learn to skate section as apposed to the main B team as I didn’t feel my skating was good enough. However the coach would have none of this and insisted I train with the the B team as I had full kit.

In retrospect this was the best course of action so I am grateful on his insistence I do this. Because I was forced to play in a full kit scrimmage. During that scrimmage I took a hit, just like I had all those years before. In that moment I expected to hit the ice and feel the embrace of pain shooting through some part of my body, indicating I had broken a bone of some variety. But as my senses adjusted I realised I felt nothing, there was no pain. Just a desire to get back in the game and play. With one hit I had gotten over the fear I had been carrying around. And while I spent the rest of the season training with the stick and puck guys to get up to speed I would go on in my second and third years to join up with the B team. While I was never going to be Gretzky those 2 years would give me an escape, a safe place and an accomplishment I never thought I'd have in being a championship winning hockey player. 

7. First Home Game as a Panther.

A year after that first practice I got to play my first home game at the skydome. I had already had my first game a few days before in Peterborough. But a home game was a completely nerve wracking prospect for me. I had friends and my partner in attendance at this game, far from providing a calming influence this was making me more nervous. Luckily the team we were playing was a team made up largely of new players like myself so it wasn’t like I was being thrown to the wolves out on the ice.

Being part of the 4^th line with my new friend Chris Neve was a bonus as well, and we had already established a chemistry with our line mate Simon in the first game. I had an ok game, and was able to get some shots on net, and discovered the beginnings of my skills as a face off taker. But my best moment was providing the assist that lead to Simon getting a break away for a goal. I could not be prouder of you, were the words of a friend, you'd think I had set up the Stanley Cup winning goal the way they described it. Irregardless it was an incredible night for me, the first of many with my team mates as we romped to three titles in 2 seasons.

8. Blaze Lift EIHL Trophy

There is something very special about seeing your team lift a trophy. As a Toronto Maple Leafs fan this is something that I obviously have not and many will say likely will never experience. The 2008/09 season had been a so close yet so far season for Blaze fans. Beaten to the league title and play offs by the Sheffield Steelers the team needed to bounce back in 2009/10.

The final 2 days of the season rolled around and the Blaze had somehow squandered multiple chances to put the league title to bed. Going in to the final weekend of the season the Blaze had 2 games, away in Edinburgh on Saturday and home to league title challengers the Belfast Giants on Sunday. I remember it being one of the tensest weekends I had experienced in a long time. I lay on my bed in my halls room listening to the online updates come in as the Blaze struggled to beat a Caps side they should be able to brush aside. The game went to over time, and I will forever remember the moment my friend turned to me and said “you’re about to go absolutely nuts” as they read the update. This was followed by the goal horn animation the site used and several complaints from flat mates as I blew the roof off celebrating the Blaze’s OT winner. This made the final home game vs Belfast a dead rubber game, the Blaze were league champions.

Blaze would lose the game the next day as both sides played their back up netminders for the game. But it didn’t matter at all, the Blaze had triumphed and delivered another league title to add to the banners in the rafters of the Skydome. Sadly this memory now stands out so high on the list because of the fact I was witnessing the last league title the Blaze would not only win but also come even close to winning in the last decade. Some play off success has followed but nothing close to a league title. Meaning this is another I was there moment in hockey history for me

9. Pirates V Phantoms NIHL Final 4 Final 2019

The 2019 NIHL final 4 weekend was as I said, something of an emotional weekend for me. The questions around whether I would be back, heading off down memory lane when I was alone on Friday evening. And of course after all I had seen come to pass over two seasons I was feeling a bit burnt out on UK hockey. But over the course of 48 hours my love for the game was well and truly reignited by 2 amazing games of hockey.

The first was the incredible comeback by the Hull Pirates to defeat the Bracknell Bees in the semi final on the Saturday. I just loved the Pirates offensive style of play. It was ultimate run and gun hockey, they may score 8 we will score 9. The following days NIHL 2 final was just as much fun, watching 2 teams throw it all on the line and seeing a player score 5 goals as his team won the NIHL 2 final. Combined with being reunited with my partner in crime when it came to yelling at clouds Anthony had me smiling ahead of the final.

Peterborough VS Hull on paper looked like it would be a win for the Phantoms. I wont lie I am not a fan of the Phantoms style of hockey, sitting back and only gunning things when they get a lead is just very boring hockey to me. However the Phantoms had won 2 championships that season off the back of it so it worked. It would be a clash with Hulls run and gun style, a style that could see the Pirates fail as a result, we all settled in and wondered what we were about to see.

What we got was possibly the second best game of hockey I have ever seen at the skydome. I am in no way a Pirates fan but I became emotionally invested in seeing them win(that’s the magic of the play offs) It was a pendulum of a game with one side scoring before another followed shortly after. It seemed nothing could break the deadlock before disaster struck. Sonny Karlson the Pirates star forward was injured by a stray puck to the face. It seemed all was lost, as the Phantoms took the lead. But in a moment straight out of a movie Karlson would return and score the 5^th Goal for Hull to seemingly sew it up. But only 4 minutes later James Ferrara would fire in the equaliser. As if this game didn’t need more drama it went to overtime. We all sensed it was Phantoms to win, but a series of saves from Hulls Netminder Ashley Smith set the stage for Matt Davies to set up Bobby Chamberlain for the game winner. It was an incredible way to end the season and for me personally it completed a symmetry as I felt I had begun the league season with a game just as entertaining, that had also gone to OT between Streatham and MK. But most importantly I was finidng hockey fun again

10.Coventry Blaze Vs Manchester Phoenix OT Thriller

January 24^th 2009 The best game of hockey I have ever seen at the Skydome. My 23^rd birthday was spent where else but at the Skydome. I had gathered my friends and promised them an evening of great entertainment. And the Blaze delivered this in spades, not with one of their best performances in terms of game play. But in terms of entertainment this game hand down was the most I have been entertained at a hockey game.

Blaze would come out flat to begin with and would struggle as the Phoenix stretched out in to a 2 goal lead before Blaze would pull one back. I was hopeful at this point the Blaze would then pull level and win the game. But this wasn’t the case as the Phoenix capitalised on a nightmare night for goalie JF Perras to score 2 more goals and make it 4-1. All seemed lost, its all over before we are even half way one of my friends said to me.The fightback would begin as Sylvain Deschataletes and  Russ Cowley scored to make it 4-3. But the pendulum of fate would swing the other way again as the Phoenix would score 2 in succession to make it 6-3 Phoenix in the third period. It seemed the Phoenix were going to put a dampner on my birthday celebrations.

But then came the most incredible few minutes of hockey I have ever witnessed at the Skydome. First Dan Carlson would feed a waiting Adam Calder centred on net who would fire it with power by Stephen Murphy to make it 6-4. Still I didn’t see the comeback coming off, but when Carlson and Calder set up Swede Erik Hjalmarsson to slot it 5-hole on Murphy, suddenly there was hope that the comeback could happen. 

With less than a minute left head coach Paul Thompson would pull the goalie for the extra attacker deploying all his big guns on one line. The puck would be fired in and Dan Carlson would work hard in the corner to feed the puck out to Sylvain Deschateles in the slot who would fire it in to level the score at 6-6 and send the game to overtime.
 

Overtime would see the come back completed as Barrie Moore and Danny Stewart would find a way to break in 2 on 1 on the Phoenix defence. Moore would feed Stewart who would force a pad stack save attempt out of Murphy but it wasn’t enough as the puck would sail in to the net and give Blaze the win 7-6. A game Blaze didn’t really deserve to win but it was an incredible game to witness live. And will forever be the best memory I hold of my days at the Dome.

There have been many other fine memories I have had in the dome over the years. But these have always been the ones that stand out in my mind no matter how new or old they are. The Skydome may be a bit of a concrete monster, not really designed to host hockey and it may have a sticky floor. But to me it will always be a home away from home. A place where I have laughed, cheered and not so much cried but been made to feel gutting low points. But its also a place I will always associate with some of my greatest personal accomplishments in life. So here's to hopefully another 10 years of memories to come. 

Taking Fligh:One Door Closes Another Opens

TAKING FLIGHT

Welcome to Taking flight. Where here on the blog we take a look at the new faces, the familiar faces and the faces departing the club. The new season is still a while off, and the old season has only just ended but already the club has begun assembling a squad to make an assault on the "new NIHL 1". Thats right new NIHL 1, or as I should say old NIHL 1. As everything old is new again, the EPL sides who dominated things for the past 2 seasons have departed for the newly named National league and the head coach of the Streatham Redhawks now has to build  a squad capable of competing for trophies against some very familiar old faces as the league welcomes back the Oxford Stars,Solent Devils,Bracknell Hornets,and Chelmsford Chieftains along with the rise of the Slough Jets and Romford junior team. To line up with the returning MK Thunder and Invicta Dynamo's. There are rumors of a retun to NIHL 1 for the Cardiff Fire as well but for now we are a 9 team league again, but a 9 team league on a more even playing field.

ONE DOOR CLOSES

On the eve of the play offs the club was rocked by the announcement that head coach Jeremy Cornish would not be returning for the 2019/20 season. When ever a coach departs from a team the accepted practice is for us to asses his body of work and decided if it was a success. The hard and fast method would be to look at the wins and loses column, and how many trophies were won under Jeremy's tenure. Of course a quick look at these would reveal more loses than wins over the last 2 seasons, and a slightly more even record over the course of the season where Corny took over from Nicky Chinn. Eliminations in the quarter finals and semi finals of the play offs and NIHL cups all show a lack of silverware. So a failure right? No, by no means was Jeremy Cornishes run as coach a failure. He turned the team around in 2016 and coached it to a 3rd place finish. There are ways other than trophies and games won to asses the success of a coach. 

First I must point to the obvious, the last 2 seasons saw the Redhawks going up against significantly stronger opposition with the arrival of the EPL sides. And it may sound like I am making excuses but that accounts in my mind for the fact he coached more loses than wins here in Streatham. Jeremy Cornishes success comes in the change he has fostered at the club, Streatham suffers from a problem a lot of NIHL teams do that fosters an environment of stagnation rather than progress. That being the clubs location in Southwest London works against it. Players can't afford to move to the area, import signings are going to be players who moved here for work reasons or university. So the club for a long time saw itself bringing in what it could get and familiar faces combined with graduates from the junior system. Jeremy Cornish changed all that, the club changed in to a place players wanted to come and play from far and wide, as was evidenced by the club picking up a large portion of the Isle Of Wight Raiders players who found themselves without a team after the Raiders demise. And then over the past two seasons bringing in EPL level stalwarts like Michael Farn,Ryan Watt, Adam Carr Ben Russell,Rupert Quinney and Liegh Jamieson, while also landing one of the best imports in the league last year in Alex Roberts. The teams built over the last 3 seasons would certainly count as title challengers in the old NIHL 1 and this new NIHL 1. It was fate however that undid these plans as after the 17/18 side was assembled the EPL collapsed. Overnight a title contended became mid table fodder. In spite of this Cornish has left the foundations of something potentially special for his replacement to work with going forward. 

However ultimately Cornys tenure has fallen victim to the same restrictions that impact hockey recruitment at this level. Being based on the South coast meant Corny had a lot of travel time to put in for games and training sessions. This has an impact on work life and of course family life, and so it was totally understandable that Jeremy made the respectable decision to step down in order to spend time with his family. Hockey will always be there, but we don't always have all the time in the world with our loved ones. Good luck in all you do Jeremy we will miss you here in Streatham 

ANOTHER OPENS

It didn't take long for the club to announce the incoming replacement for Jeremy Cornish. And instead of looking without,the club would look within. Benefiting from the change in recruitment that had taken place under Jeremy Cornish the club appointed current Captain Adam Carr as new Head Player Coach. When it comes to hockey, Carr has been there seen it all and worn multiple T-shirts. 3 time EPL champion,4 time play off champion former GB junior player and for a large part of his career in Milton Keynes, and of course here in Streatham he has been a team captain.

I am a huge fan of the player coach approach in UK hockey, it allows clubs to double the effect of resources outlayed on a single player. In this case the club has been able to exchange giving Carr his break in to coaching in exchange for a first line centre calibre player. Something which can prove costly and difficult to find but is a necessity to challenge for trophies. Certainly something Carr's firepower will provide as he is showing no signs of slowing down his totals in the points columns.

Carr is no stranger to leadership having been a Captain of hockey teams for the better part of 12 years now. Of course while coaching a team is very different to wearing the C, Carr will find there are more similarities than differences. While Captain he was expected to be a leader in the locker room, the same will be expected now as a coach but with the added edge that he sets the line ups, the plays and recruits the roster. Some may worry that tactics and recruitment may be an area he will struggle with, but when you consider Carr has played under Nick Poole, Pete Russell and Jeremy Cornish in his career I don't think there is anything to worry about. As he will no doubt have picked up a trick or two from these 3 legends of the British game.

Similarly Carr's ability to recruit shouldn't be a worry at all either. While new to the recruiting game, and while not carrying the aura that Jeremy Cornish does that made players want to travel to Streatham. He does have a long careers worth of contacts to call upon for scouting and potential recruitment targets. This makes the possibility of returns to the roster of groups like the MK connection(Farn,Russell and Jamieson) a good possibility. Being a member of the roster over the last 2 seasons and a leader in the locker room who no doubt had the respect of his team mates. Means that the possibility for retention of a large group of the teams core from the last 2 seasons could be quite high. Carr could possibly benefit from the strong foundations built by Jeremy Cornish.

Carr has no intention of his team being also rans as he has stated in press releases. But of course all championships are won in part by the teams construction. And Carr has hardly been inactive since the announcement of his signing.

FARNTASTIC

Adam Carr made quite a splash with his first signing as head coach. In a move I don't think anyone could have predicted. 2 time NIHL 1 all star defence man Michael Farn was announced a s returning to the club for the 2019/20 season. At 30 years old Farn is in what could be termed as the prime years for a D man. And as a 2 time member of the All Star team in NIHL 1 and with a wealth of championship winning experience behind him higher levels. It came as no surprise that Farn had received offers from clubs heading up to the new National league. However for some there is more to hockey than just money. And so Farn has opted to stay and help his friend and head coach finish what he feels they started when they signed here 2 seasons ago.

In Farn the club gets exactly what it needs, a no nonsense offensive D man who can stabilise and quarterback both the power play and the penalty kill. Having lead the league in assists and points for a defenseman over the last 2 seasons he brings a creative edge that will drive the play in all situations. Not only that but with Carr stepping up to the coaching role there is a vacancy for a new Captain. And Farn in my opinion fits the bill as an excellent candidate for the role. Having been an assistant captain last season he already has the experience of a leader. If the club can find a good stay at home D man to pair alongside him the first pairing will be hard for any team to deal with next season.

THE KING RETURNS

There is an old axiom in Hockey "build from the net out" what is meant by this is the first player you sign should be your starting goalie. Its an understandable approach, you can sign an entire team of all star defence men but if none of them can stop the player with the puck getting through its up to the goalie to be the last line of defence. In that event a coach needs to have a goalie who he knows will come up big in that situation. Damien King is certainly a goalie that fits in to that category.

Now while Kings numbers for the last two season do not look pretty, a .914 and .899 save percentage over the last two season on the surface would indicate a goalie in decline. But when you consider that most nights King was facing EPL calibre players we can excuse this. While his stats may not be pretty King came up with many huge saves that kept the Redhawks in games on many occasions last season, such as the 1-0 loss to Brackenll early in the season where King and Milton engaged in a goalie duel. But it is not just his play that will be invaluable for the team going forward, likely Nathan Gregory and Brett Shepperd will be returning to the team this coming season. And additionally with an NIHL 2 team coming in an experienced goalie with a championship winning calibre will be vital in helping the young goalies in the clubs system to develop.

The teams intent to compete for silverware this season has been stated by Michael Farn in his signing release. King is a goalie who has done just this, famously breaking the hearts of Chelmsford Cheiftan fans 3 years ago in the old NIHL play off final. With the way the "new look" NIHL is shaping up Kings pedigree and ability could certainly see him bounce back and help the team be challenging at the top end of the table. 

5 FOR THINKING:WHY I LOVE HOCKEY?

5 For Thinking:Why Do I love Hockey?

Why do I love hockey? It’s a question I have been asked by friend’s family and first dates alike over the years. To be a hockey fan in Britain makes me something of an oddity, while most men my age are in to football and rugby. I enjoy a sport where toothless Canadians hack each other with sticks between rounds of fisticuffs. At least that is the common public perception I fight against every time anyone, who has never set foot in a rink finds out about my love of hockey, before that question comes in to play. But this season I have found myself asking that same question of myself. Why do I love this game?

            The last two seasons for me as a fan of British ice hockey have been tough, there were times I wanted nothing more than for the season to be over. And anyone who knows me, knows that for me to make that statement alone is worrying. Me the guy who wears his hockey jerseys to work during the play offs, the guy who’s dream holiday was to spend 2 weeks  travelling Ontario making sure he stopped at every rink on the way there and back, me the teetotaller who swears he’ll only drink again if Leafs win the cup, wanting the season over its a concerning thought. But it’s not been the on ice product, that has entertained me as ever this year, in fact this season in Streatham has been some of the best value I’ve had for my ticket money in a long time. It’s been everything that came with it, from the EIHA seemingly powerless to stop the collapse of the EPL from destroying the NIHL and my love for the Coventry Blaze continuing to be tested by the teams acceptance it will never be more than a contender for 8^th place, and another season of players getting called out for homophobic, racist and sexist comments or actions I had grown tired of it all. And then something happened that changed all these feelings. I went back to my spiritual hockey home in Coventry for the play offs two weeks ago. I watched one of the best games I have ever seen at the Skydome. And I remembered in the moment that Bobby Chamberlain potted the OT winner, that I could care less about all that, and that I needed to find an answer to the question of why I loved the game so much?

My introduction to the sport doesn’t really go a long way to answering this question of course. It was 1995 and I was stood in a Toronto sporting goods store, staring up at a video screen running highlights of the NHL. At the time I had been playing rugby and was sort of getting interested in NFL. So my friends who I was staying with had decided to get me a CFL football and an Argo’s jersey. I left the store with a CFL football and a Maple Leafs hockey player key chain. In that moment a spark had been ignited in my brain, a spark that would come to shape my life. But at the time I had no real understanding of the game at all. I just knew I liked it, I guess you could put it in basic terms as I enjoyed the spectacle of it all.

            But loving the spectacle is not really a solid answer to me, certainly it is a part of my love of the game.  The thrill of seeing a forward skate end to end and roof the puck in to the net, the excitement of a bone crunching hit and the state of sheer dread that makes me want to run away and hide, yet keep watching as my team kills a penalty. Followed by the exhilaration as the goalie makes a game defining save.These all make up hockeys spectacle, that and the fights, but there are many things in my life I enjoy for the spectacle they represent. Everything from a live band to the latest episode of Game Of Thrones. And yet none of these have inspired this devotion in me that meant I would end up uttering the sentence “I’m sorry I have hockey that day” a lot in my life(Ok maybe GOT but come on its Game Of Thrones). A sentence that has strained and I am sure broken friendships and relationships for me in the past. All because I had to witness or be part of the spectacle on the ice. 

            But then if it’s not solely the spectacle what else can it be, an obsession maybe? It certainly can be said I am obsessed with the sport. So much so that one of my criteria’s for choosing a university was access to a hockey arena so I could have another try at playing the game after my attempt earlier in life ended in training session 1 with a broken leg. In that regard I am very lucky that Coventry accepted me in 2007 for a place on their course in 2008. I had no idea that this decision would see hockey shaping my life from university onward. Both in my professional, and personal life. When I stepped in to the Skydome one September night I was clueless to the fact I’d be turning a spark in to a Blaze that would burn through my life

            To some in the sport it may seem odd for me to make such a claim, I never laced them up for a pro team, I didn’t spend years on the buses going toe to toe with the best imports.  But in retrospect hockey has shaped so much of what I did at university and what I have done after. Case in point would be my career. When I was at university I spent so much time at the rink friends joked I should have it listed as my address. I was always there either filming, playing or watching a game, in fact my dad has often remarked I didn’t get my degree in media production I got it in Hockey.  

In 2007 my life was a smouldering crater, I had wasted the potential I had shown and was working in retail. The only thing that kept me sane was using my imagination to come up with short story and film script ideas when working in the stock room. It soon dawned upon me I could put this creative energy to better use. And so in 2008 armed with A-Levels in Film, Media and English Language and Literature I headed to Coventry University to try and find my way as a creative. I had high ideas of being the next Lucas or Spielberg. But instead hockey showed me the way I wanted to go. In my second year I began a project filming highlights for the Blaze B team. For the next two years I would tinker and toy with the video editing programmes and learn the skills that would see me avoid the minefield of entry level media positions and land in the operations department of a major UK broadcaster, and has seen me go on to land my dream job with another. And I had hockey to thank for all of it.

Me and the Original SITV crew 

Running my mouth on air with Paul Wheeler

            

University can often be a scary time for many fresher’s, far from home making your own way in the world it can all seem overwhelming for some. It of course felt like this for me and so while it was great to have something like hockey to anchor learning my skills to. Over time the sport became more than that for me, it became what it has continued to be for me to this day. A form of escape, from everything going on in my day to day life. Regardless of how bad the week had been, regardless of how my flatmates were driving me nuts or how long distance was putting a strain on my relationship. I had the Skydome and the Blaze ten minutes up the road on a Sunday and for 2 hours I could just let all my anger out in the direction of opposition players.

But it wasn’t just the chance to yell at the opposition I wanted anymore, I wanted to play the game. I wanted to put to rest the demon in my mind of what had happened at my first roller hockey practice. I wanted a chance to get back some of what I had missed when I had given in to fear and quit roller hockey. Warwick Panthers gave me an opportunity to do all of this. In my first training session I took a hit in to the boards. As I flew through the air my mind went back to that night in Reading when my leg had snapped, I waited to feel that same agony course through me, to have to crawl to the bench. But then I hit the ice and realised nothing was wrong, and I got up and never looked back. It was the beginning of 3 years where I would have the best of times with my team mates, as we travelled the country dominating teams in the BUIHA Div 3. I look back on it now and think of them all fondly as a sort of family away from home.

The unstoppable Warwick Panthers B Team. 4th Line For Life

         In the second and third years, and beyond I found I would need this escape and found family more than ever due to mounting pressures in my home life. My partner at the time had been accepted to Coventry, at the time our relationship was not in the best of places. I won’t go further than that for detail but things were tense, there were so many times I was glad to have the Panthers training sessions and games to just get away for a few hours and hit the puck around. I know when two people have problems the solution isn’t to run away, but at that time in my life having hockey around as an escape and distraction was very welcome. I learned my lessons here though, and while I am glad hockey gave me a reason to get away from my problems. I learned in future to face a problem and not hide away.

Graduation Day with my Best friend Keshia(Man was I fatter then)

            Graduation would come and my life would shift again. The skills hockey had taught me in the edit suite and the team work skills I had learned on the ice would see me land at a UK broadcaster doing a job I loved using the software I loved. But all was not well on the home front, and sadly that year I would choose to end my relationship 6 years gone like that. In the cold emptiness that was the aftermath I looked around for an anchor or a guiding star to help me, for my friends. I had thrown so much of myself in to trying to make the relationship work that I had sacrificed friendships and drifted away from people I cared about. I was fortunate that the ones who remained helped get me back on my feet. But I was in Reading, my best friend Keshia was in Weston, Linds was in Warwick,Chris was in Coventry still and Ed was in London. I knew next to no one save one person in the Reading area my friend Matt. I was a broken husk of my former self. Massively over weight, low on self-confidence and worth and had the people skills of a potato. I needed a way back, and guess how I found it.

            If you guessed hockey, your only half right. My friends of course where a big help, especially my friend Matt who dragged me kicking and screaming to the gym 3 days a week. But I needed that anchor, that escape that  beacon of hope I’d had in Coventry. Luckily I found it, down in Hampshire just an hour or so away, in the Basingstoke Bison. I still remember my first game, I remember entering the arena feeling scared of being in this new environment, wearing my Panthers shirt with pride but still worried about how I’d be received. But in the end I didn’t need to worry, I spent the night talking with a nice chap next to me and my anxiety melted away. Over time the anxiety and low confidence faded and as I found a favoured spot in C block I made new friends. The man who taught me all I know about yelling at clouds Anthony, fellow Leafs fan Debs her husband Phil, my Swindon road trip buddy Eleanor and of course the two ladies who kept me best in check Jess and Hannah.  And of course my adoptive hockey family, the Blakemores. Over that time I have even come to find friends in fan bases outside of my own in the Swindon boys. In 2013 when I first entered the Basingstoke arena, I would never have dreamed of walking in to the away end to talk to fans, or even fans of my own team. Now to everyone's annoyance you can't shut me up, and I will happily engage any fan in conversation.  
I found confidence again, and I found a new me thanks to this wonderful found family of mine. Each had an influence in finishing my hockey education, and helping me become a sociable humam being again. And that has transferred in to a confidence outside the rink to put myself in to social situations and make new friends I would have run away from back in 2013. 

Family isn't always bound by blood. 

The Swindon Boys

Me Jess and Anthony pre last years play off final.

Eleanor had had enough of me this night

Maz!

My Hockey Mum and Dad Gary and Carol

With that new sense of confidence came a new sense of adventure and self-understanding, I grew as a person thanks to these new friends. When you go from having someone to always go to events with you to having no one with you the idea of going places alone can become a bit daunting. But this found family taught me I shouldn’t let opportunity pass by because I didn’t want to go it alone(well mainly Jess did) if it hadn’t been for that I wouldn’t have busted a gut to fulfil my life’s goal of a dream holiday to Canada to see the Leafs play. Having never flown abroad alone, I was at my most nervous. But I had so many incredible experiences on that trip, from all the games I saw,  to seeing the real Niagra, the sites of the war of 1812.Standing in the presence of a fully assembled T-Rex fossil at the Ontario museum. And of course the ultimate highlight of getting to touch the Stanley Cup. These were adventures I would not have had if not for hockey, and it giving me the drive to do so.

Making new friends along the way. This is Ty, who I met in the line for the mens room!

Probably my most cherished memory behind my first Leaf game. Meeting Lord Stanley's mug

London Knights game 

Saying hello to Buffalo

When I mentioned this drive the game has given me to a friend once, they made a comparison between my love of the game and some peoples devotion to religion. Sunday is a day of worship, and for those who believe it is important for them to attend church that day, growing up in a Catholic family I knew this all too well, my grandparents still attend church twice on a Sunday some times. The comparison was that, I felt that same need to be in my own house of worship every Saturday and Sunday. Certainly the fact that we hockey fans often refer to "the hockey gods"our worship of the teams logo and the team itself. Combined with the chanting and ritual dress we wear for games all have a religious overtone. Though not a believer myself religion brings great peace and solace to people as well as hope. And over the years the experiences I have had through the game, my dream job, making new friends who have greatly impacted on my life. Moving to Streatham to live with one such friend and taking the trip of a lifetime. All while cheering like a maniac along the way have given me that same kind of hope and happiness.  

I guess on reflection at the end of all this, there’s not just one reason why I love hockey there are many. It’s been a slow evolution over the years, much like any relationship the reasons you love someone or thing in this case build over time. It’s a sport that has given me incredible highs and gutting lows, a sport that has given me a found family, a sport that gave me dreams and helped me fulfil them. A sport that built me a career, and a sport that saved me when I needed it to. It’s just a sport to some, but to me it’s everything you’ve read above and I love it for all these and many more reasons.