Team Canada rises above racist comment, wins world ball hockey championship
Global News
Canada's U-16 and U-18 teams were in Slovakia last week for the International Street and Ball Hockey Federation (ISBF) tournament. A racist comment by a competitor fueled success.
The goaltender for Canada’s world champion junior men’s ball hockey team says he used a racist comment as “fuel” to help power the team to its gold medal win.
Canada’s U-16 and U-18 ball hockey teams were in Žilina, Slovakia last week to compete in the International Street and Ball Hockey Federation (ISBF) tournament.
The teams were excited to compete, but the event got off to an ugly start at the opening ceremonies. When U-18 team goaltender Aalamdaya Singh Kailay was selected as Team Canada’s flag-bearer, player from another team decried the choice.
“A U-16 team USA player, someone who was standing right there, commented: ‘You’re not even from Canada.'”
U-18 coach Jon Silcox said several Team Canada players heard the comment and it put a damper on the start of the tournament.
“It’s unfortunate it still happens to this day, and hopefully we can make a change and we can better the environment for hockey and hockey players,” Silcox said.
Kailay said he initially shrugged the comment off.
“I was more focused on my team, I was more focused on the boys, I was more focused on my country than some dumb comment,” he said.