When SidneyB次元官网网址檚 Jackson Day was looking for a sport to keep his skills sharp during hockeyB次元官网网址檚 off-season, his mother Christy Sklapsky pointed him toward ball hockey as a potential alternative to lacrosse, which he had been playing in the past.
He gave it try and nearly five years later, will play for CanadaB次元官网网址檚 U-16 boys team at the International Street and Ball Hockey FederationB次元官网网址檚 2022 World Ball Hockey Championships in Zilina, Slovakia, June 29 to July 3.
Day, 15, made the team after an invitation-only tryout held last November in Vancouver.
B次元官网网址淚 was actually in school and I got an email at lunch,B次元官网网址� the StellyB次元官网网址檚 Secondary student said when asked how he found out. B次元官网网址淚 was obviously pretty excited to hear about it.B次元官网网址�
The Peninsula Eagles minor hockey player, whose family roots in Sidney go back seven decades, is one of two Greater Victoria players and seven from B.C. on the 22-player roster. To help build team chemistry, the group will arrive early at the tournament location in Slovakia B次元官网网址� by way of Austria B次元官网网址� for a several-day training camp. The competition itself features a round-robin portion followed by playoffs.
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B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 hoping that I will be able to keep up with the players and help out the team,B次元官网网址� Day said of his personal expectations. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 definitely hoping to bring home a medal. IB次元官网网址檇 like to do well in the tournament.B次元官网网址�
His commitment to the sport generally and this competition specifically is evident in other ways.
Day is paying for his portion of the trip B次元官网网址� roughly $4,000 B次元官网网址� entirely out of his own pocket through part-time work at SidneyB次元官网网址檚 Save-on-Foods location.
Playing ball hockey in the summer has allowed Day to maintain his cardiovascular fitness and hand-eye coordination, translating to better puck control and stamina on the ice, two things he hopes will take his game to the next level. With two years left in minor hockey, his goal is to make the jump to junior, with an eye toward playing college or university hockey.
B次元官网网址淗e is doing really well at balancing his commitments,B次元官网网址� said Sklapsky, who will travel with her husband to Slovakia to watch Day play. B次元官网网址淗e loves the game, so it is not that difficult. He always has a stick in his hands.B次元官网网址�
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