'Hockey is more than a sport'

A group of Cole Harbour hockey players are learning that there is more to their sport than winning the game.

After hearing about the massive earthquake that devastated Haiti, the boys from the Cole Harbour Atom AAA Hockey Team helped to raise $7,500 for Haiti in just 96 hours after the earthquake.

"Our season has just wrapped," said head Coach Brad MacLeod. "And with hockey fever reaching its peak because of the NHL playoffs, now is the time to let people know that we have a great group of kids that have learned more from hockey than what you would think."

MacLeod said he found himself fielding questions about the disaster from the players, so he decided to make the most of their ice time and organized a three on three tournament. The squad had less than 36 hours in which to ask family and friends to donate $1 per goal and larger sums for each goalie's shut outs.

Deals began flying and the community pitched in to help said MacLeod. What started out as a modest goal of raising $200 escalated into players donating their own allowances and it grew from there.

In the end 101 goals were scored over 21 games, the team raised nearly $2,000, the Canadian government matched this amount and a corporate sponsor also donated money to the cause.

Eleven-year-old Caden Lacey had a special connection to this fundraiser. His Dad left for Haiti just after the earthquake onboard the HMCS Athabascan. He said his Dad inspired him and was in Haiti for two months, busy building orphanages and water purification units.

"I donated my own money," he said. "Our fundraiser at hockey made me understand more about what my Dad was doing in Haiti."

His teammate Tyler Hinam also gave up his Christmas money and allowance.

"There are kids out there who are starving, and when I saw the pictures of what happened there it made me more aware of what is going on the world and how lucky I am," said the 10-year-old.

Jack Gillis said it was natural for him to raise money through his hockey team and says he is glad to have a coach and a team that talk about important things together.

"I thought it would be a good cause, so we worked hard," he said. "It made me look on the internet and see pictures of kids with no shelter and no water. And I wanted to help. I think people would help us if we had a earthquake here, so why not."

MacLeod said he is proud of his team and hopes they have all learned some valuable lessons.

And although Jack Gillis is the first to admit that hockey and sports are his life, he said the fundraiser and this past season will stay with him forever.

"After we raised the money, I did learn one important thing," he said. "Hockey is more than a sport."

joanneoostveen@accesswave.ca