| « Previous Day | Home | Next Day » |
Day 8: November 20th, Frankfurt, Germany
Day Eight – NHLPA Goals & Dreams finishes European aspect of tour in Frankfurt, Germany
It was another early morning start for us today. We left our hotel in Sarajevo, Bosnia at 5:00am to head to the airport. It was questionable whether or not we would get out of Sarajevo this morning. Surrounded by mountains, Sarajevo was engulfed by fog and delayed our flight to Vienna by almost an hour. With just over an hour between that flight and our connecting flight to Frankfurt, the G&D crew was getting a little anxious. (Actually, Stock was pretty much crying like a school girl. But it’s been like that most of the trip, ‘I'm tired?’, ‘when are we gonna eat?’, ‘how much longer?’)
We concluded our Euchre tournament on the flight to Germany. With Stock and Smith holding a lead heading into the trip, Zams and I mounted an epic comeback to win 10-9. However, Zams continued his giving ways by offering a chance to end the tournament in a tie. Stock and Smith did just that. So after countless hours of trash talk, chirping and playing this game on the plane during nearly every single one of our flights, the seemingly endless Euchre tournament fizzled out like a dud firework.
Nearing the homestretch of our whirlwind 10-country tour, the children we meet continue to impress us. Coming off a very emotional day yesterday, the kids from the Young Lions of Frankfurt program in Germany energized the G & D guys, and jump started this leg of the tour merely by chanting their team song.
Kerry Goulet, from “Shoot For A Cure” and “29 Sports”, joined the NHLPA G&D crew in Frankfurt today. Kerry played in Germany for many years and is organizing the NHLPA Goals & Dreams donation in Hannover and Timmendorf.
Similar to each of the previous seven days on the tour, today was all about the kids and having some fun. The Young Lions of Frankfurt kids spoke pretty well, and did a fantastic job keeping up with Zams and Devo, who kept them very busy (and the kids were especially chatty with and interested in Zams, the former NHLer himself).The Frankfurt Lions, who play in the DEL league, offered their team’s bus services to the G&D crew for the day as we travelled with the kids to lunch and then off to a game between Frankfurt Lions and Augsberger Panther.
At 4:00pm here, we held a press conference prior to the game where we announced the NHLPA Goals & Dreams donation of more than 30 sets of equipment to three grassroots programs in Germany (Frankfurt Lions, Hannover Scorpions/Indians and Timmendorf). Zams, Devo, myself and a representative from the Germany DEL took part in the press conference.
During the player introductions, prior to the game, the Young Lions of Frankfurt were on the ice with the professional hockey players, and were also lucky enough to play a "timbits" style hockey game between both the first and the second periods. While the kids were on the ice, Devo acted as the CBC rinkside correspondent, interviewing some of the kids. They were having a great time and it was evident that they love playing the game. On the ice, the kids were all smiles in front of more than 1,000 fans. And, to top off another great day, the home team in the DEL game, the Frankfurt Lions, went on to win the game and move into 3rd place in the league.
The G & D crew here is starting to show our fatigue, we’re wearing down. Tonight was an early night for the boys to rest up for the weekend, the last two days of the tour.
And (finally) P.J. is headed back to Canada for his work on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada tomorrow. Kidding aside, P.J. was a great ambassador for the tour and the program, the kids really looked up to him, and it was great to have him on the trip (as long as we had earplugs). We’ll meet up with him on Sunday night for the wrap up event at the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Tomorrow, we’re looking forward to visiting the Big Apple. A quick trip to the Bronx is planned for our event with Kip's Bay Boys & Girls Club, followed by an event with the MSG Garden of Dreams foundation. Between the two programs in New York City tomorrow, NHLPA Goals & Dreams will be donating another 50 sets of hockey equipment.
It never gets old putting smiles on kids’ faces. Although, we’re really looking forward to seeing our own kids…a couple more days.
until NYC,
Matty Langen (or ‘Langdon’ as P.J. would say)
NHLPA Goals & Dreams in Germany
The impact of Goals & Dreams fund on Germany has been made in assistance of a few NHL players including Marco Sturm of the Boston Bruins. Marco, along with his countrymen Jochen Hecht and Olaf Kolzig have made a significant impact on the grassroots level of hockey throughout Germany.
 |
|
 |
NHLPA Goals & Dreams facts:
|
 |