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Fortney: Aspiring pros get to test skills at Fan Zone

Valerie Fortney, Calgary Herald January 2, 2012

CALGARY — He has big dreams of one day playing defence for an NHL team.

For now, though, Mahmoud Abougouche must contend with playing “everything” on his Crowfoot Eagles Novice hockey league.

“It’s OK, I can wait,” says the eight-year-old of his dues-paying years as a minor league player.

One thing the aspiring pro didn’t have to wait for was a chance to see some of the future stars of the NHL play great hockey at the Saddledome on Monday morning.

“I tried to buy tickets through the lottery system,” says his dad, Jim Abougouche, who’s just watched the Switzerland-Sweden relegation game with his son and his teammates.

“It’s so great that tickets were made available to us. I really wanted Mahmoud to have the full experience of World Juniors hockey, especially since it’s in our town.”

Judging by the number of hockey jersey-wearing tykes in and around the Saddledome, it’s clear that our city’s younger set is getting a good dose of World Juniors hockey fever.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many hockey fans gobbling down ice cream, cotton candy and snow cones before the noon hour.

I’ve also never seen so many hockey fans crying publicly, save for our loss to Tampa Bay in the 2004 Stanley Cup final.

The odd spectator may be having a meltdown in the concourse, but their parents are smiling over the fact that while the relegation games may be unwanted tickets for some, they’re treasure for the families of little ones.

“My brother bought ours online,” says Dallas Paterson, whose stuffed toy-toting three-year-old, Jillian, is attending the first hockey game of her life. “We are just having a fun, family day, and it’s pretty great hockey.”

Sitting in the middle of a lower-bowl row flanked by serious-looking, black suited hockey scouts, Randy Taylor’s thrilled at the chance to attend a game “of such high-calibre hockey” with his son Spence, five.

“Friends of mine bought packages, and gave us their tickets for this game,” says Taylor. “I can’t tell you how cool it is for Spence to come to the Saddledome and have the full, sensory hockey experience. I think people forget what a big deal it is for a kid to come to this place.”

I’m impressed with the efforts of Hockey Canada and other organizations to make a portion of the more than 500,000 World Juniors tickets available to our province’s hockey-mad kids (if you have tickets you can’t use, you can donate them via the website hockeycanada.ca/2012juniors).

It’s also good to know that there’s something even for those who completely miss out on the ticket rush.

It’s called the World Junior Fan Zone, in the Big Four Building on the Stampede grounds.

In this space that is filled with post-game hockey fans, kids and the young at heart can play a variety of interactive and simulated hockey games.

A beer garden is available for harried moms and dads, while a giant projection screen lets visitors watch the game a stone’s throw from the Saddledome.

“It’s kind of an indoor tailgate party,” Orest Iwanylo, the Stampede’s facilities marketing manager, says as he gives me a tour of the family-friendly venue that will be open throughout the tournament (check hockeycanada.ca for times).

“Admission is free, so the most it’ll cost is the price of an LRT ride to get down to the Stampede grounds.”

In addition to the games, there is a Hockey Hall of Fame exhibit and a selection of famed hockey trophies on display.

“On Wednesday the Stanley Cup will be here,” says Iwanylo. “We heard the Fan Zone was very popular in Edmonton, so we expect to be pretty busy here over the next three days.”

So far, the offerings at the Stampede grounds are getting a thumbs-up from those in attendance.

“I think it’s great that kids are getting to be a part of the World Juniors, as they should be,” says Jim Abougouche as he watches his son shoot pucks in a game that records his speed.

“Mahmoud and his buddies had a blast at the game.”

Isn’t that how it should be when those great hockey players at the World Juniors are just kids themselves?

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."