Sports Central, a charity that provides sports equipment at no cost to kids in need, asked me to help with a video a few weeks ago, and of course I made time for them. I'm a goalie because of them.
When I was 11 years old, they provided me with equipment to attend a goalie camp. That was the first time I was on the ice in full gear!
The instructors were super generous to me, a very clear newbie, throughout the goalie camp.
My parents immigrated from Vietnam and eventually ended up in Edmonton, and the focus in the house was on doing well in school. There wasn't time - or money - for hockey.
While playing hockey was one thing, the more significant matter was that my friends and classmates liked hockey. I knew very little about it. Yet Curtis Joseph, the goaltender for the Edmonton Oilers at the time, electrified the city with his play, and eventually I started to follow my hometown team. I wanted to be a goalie because of him!
My brothers and me with Edmonton Oilers goaltender Curtis Joseph at the Carnival of Champions.
The sports camp launched me into a lifelong interest in hockey, goaltending, and even more specifically, goalie gear. I designed custom graphics for my equipment. I made trips to visit equipment manufacturers. I brought my gear with me wherever I lived in Canada because there would always be a team that needed a goalie.
I made friends with a Saturday night hockey group through this bulletin board posting and played with them throughout my residency in Moncton, NB.
So when I returned home to Edmonton, I reconnected with Sports Central to let them know how much they mean to me. Since then, I've been happy to share my story and my lived experience: that participating in sports with the people around you builds connection and community.
Father Michael Troy School raised funds for Sports Central through Hockey Helps Kids in 2017.
You can help Sports Central by providing gently-used sports equipment and/or funds so children who want to play, but can’t afford the equipment, are given the gear they need to participate: Donate to Sports Central.
RELATED LINKS
Sport Central's Community Impact (Kerry Diotte, July 17, 2020)
Hometown Hockey: Sport Central giving children in need a chance to play (Sportsnet, July 5, 2017)
This week’s Vitals: He shoots, he saves (University of Alberta FoMD, Feb 1, 2017)
Team Nugent-Hopkins Wins 2nd Annual Charity Cup Challenge (Feb 22, 2017)
Team Nugent-Hopkins - Father Michael Troy School (YouTube, Jan 18, 2017)
DISCLOSURE: I did not receive any financial compensation for this blog post. I do not participate in affiliate programs. Any links are provided for convenience only.
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