How Canadians are helping Ukrainian kids play hockey, despite the conflict with Russia | 24CA News
Former NHL participant Wayne Babych is not letting bombs, blackouts and households fleeing battle cease youngsters in Ukraine from taking part in hockey.
“This is sort of a dream for them, but the avenue is not there … they have no access to equipment,” stated Babych, who performed for the St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, Quebec Nordiques and Hartford Whalers.
Babych, who has Ukrainian heritage, is a part of a bunch referred to as Canadian Friends of Hockey in Ukraine (CFHU), which has been round for the previous 5 years, however has been additional busy since Russia invaded Ukraine almost one 12 months in the past.
The group has been gathering hockey tools to ship to youngsters in Ukraine who’re nonetheless eager to play.
It’s fundraising to purchase new gear, plus soliciting donations from particular person hockey households, groups, the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and hockey tools producers, equivalent to CCM.
“Our dad, who just left us a couple of years ago, he always stressed that don’t ever forget where you came from, and it’s kind of a big tool for us,” Babych stated not too long ago, as he appeared via donated gear in a warehouse in Winnipeg’s Exchange District.
His youthful brother, Dave, performed for the Winnipeg Jets and is now an envoy with the Vancouver Canucks. He can also be concerned in CFHU.
“We’re not going to turn our back to these people,” Babych stated.
Mental well being and a motive to remain
Taras Dumych, a CFHU volunteer serving to to arrange the distribution on the bottom in Ukraine, says the gamers and their households are thrilled to obtain the tools as a result of, similar to in Canada, hockey is a really costly sport.
“They’re extremely happy. Extremely happy. Particularly that they know that people in a faraway Canada care about them,” he stated not too long ago from his residence in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, throughout a night blackout.
One of the newest shipments was distributed to gamers, aged six to 9, within the Sokil Kyiv Hockey School. Affiliated with the Sokil Kyiv skilled crew, it’s one of many oldest hockey colleges in Ukraine, coaching gamers all the best way as much as the junior leagues.
Marina Fedotova’s two sons, Klim Trukhin, 9, and his seven-year-old brother, Korniy Trukhin, acquired gloves, pants and different protecting gear.
“It was really like the present was from Santa and it looked like that: ‘Let me see, let me touch, I like this one.’ Like kids who open the box of presents on Christmas Day,” she advised 24CA News.
Fedotova says it is vital that youngsters can proceed doing the issues they loved earlier than the battle began, so their lives do not cease — however it’s onerous.
“We really think twice or three times [when] we want to spend the money,” she stated. “Sometimes you need to say no … but it’s the last thing that I want to do.”
And whereas some would possibly query the worth of sending hockey gear when weapons and ammunition are extra vital for Ukraine’s survival, Fedotova stated this donation of kit has actually impacted her boys.
“They now understand and they see it from their own eyes that the world will support them as well.”
Watch younger gamers from the Kyiv Sokil Hockey School obtain tools from the Canadian Friends of Hockey in Ukraine. Organizers and oldsters say it is an vital method for all times to be as “normal” as potential, regardless of the battle with Russia.
Dumych says they could appear trivial, however stated such donations assist households keep some normalcy regardless of the battle, and supply a bodily and psychological well being outlet for youngsters. It’s additionally a motive for some households to remain in Ukraine, which is vital for the continued functioning of the nation, in addition to its future.
“Even in a peaceful time, you know, when you are busy with something and this is the way to deal with stress,” he stated.
“It’s extremely important now, particularly that we want our kids to remain in Ukraine, although it’s certainly dangerous. But [for] those who cannot go abroad and if they want to play hockey, we need to support them.”
He says the gamers come out at any time when it is secure, at any time when the ability is on. Some rinks are additionally outside now that the climate has turned chilly.
“The rinks do operate, because it’s — thank God — not all the time we are short of power. But indeed, today, it’s been a very difficult day. We actually had the missiles flying over,” Dumych stated.
“But, you know, we are holding on. Our motto now in the country is that we are holding on because we are Ukrainians. We have our country and our faith. And so we will not give up. We will not give up, neither in this war nor in our sport.”
‘His eyes gentle up’
Back in Canada, members of CFHU are additionally outfitting younger Ukrainians who’ve come right here to flee the battle.
They embody youngsters like nine-year-old Yehor Bieliaiev, who performs defence for the U11 A3 Winterhawks Red in Winnipeg. He acquired a helmet, stick and a few protecting gear. He introduced his skates with him from Ukraine when he arrived along with his mom March 31.
“Thank you so much,” he stated at a current observe. “It’s [a] fun game.”
His mom, Natalia Bieliaieva, is right here with out her husband. He is working and volunteering, cooking for the navy and migrants and delivering humanitarian support to orphanages and hospitals in western Ukraine.
She says it has been onerous to navigate her new life and job and Yehor’s college.
The hockey system is so completely different from Ukraine, so she is grateful the group helped outfit her son and even lined a part of his registration charges.
“I’m happy that he has this opportunity. I see that he’s happy, he has fun, he enjoys and every day he becomes more comfortable,” she stated, including she sends images and movies residence to her husband.
“His eyes light up and he can do what he loves to do.”
Babych says that’s precisely why he does it.
“When you get the opportunity to look in their eyes and see how grateful they are … you see tears in their eyes because they can’t believe they’re getting this opportunity.”
CFHU has additionally paid airfares for a number of gifted gamers to check out for elite groups right here.
Two of them, Havryil Simchuk, 16, and Dmetro Kurbytskyi 19, landed in Winnipeg a number of weeks in the past, drained from the transatlantic journey, however wanting ahead to making an attempt out with the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Dauphin Kings.
“We are happy to be here,” Kurbytskyi stated. He stated it was “very hard” to attend out air raid sirens and blackouts after they had been making an attempt to observe.
Dauphin is a Ukrainian neighborhood that has welcomed a couple of dozen newcomer households within the final 12 months, so these gamers can be an awesome match, stated CFHU member Vern Zatwarnicki, as he helped the younger males collect their gear on the airport.
“We’ve made a very strong connection over the years,” he stated.
“Every year Dauphin has an event that’s called Ukrainian night, and it’s gone viral over in Ukraine. And for the longest time, Dauphin Kings was a favorite team in Ukraine. So here they are. They’re going to Dauphin, so lots of community support.”
Babych says a lot of the gamers he is spoken to, hope to finally return to Ukraine.
“Probably more so than ever, they want to represent their country because of what they’re going through,” he stated.
Hockey Can’t Stop tour
When Russia invaded final February, some hockey gamers traded their sticks for weapons. Others took up volunteer positions whereas nonetheless others fled the nation.
Men aged 18 to 60 are usually not allowed to depart Ukraine with out particular permission, however gamers who made the nation’s U-25 nationwide crew have acquired navy exemptions to compete within the Winter University Games in Lake Placid, N.Y., from Jan. 12-22.
They are coming to Canada within the subsequent few weeks to play in opposition to 4 Western college groups as preparation. CFHU is supporting and selling the crew because it travels right here.
The Ukrainian nationwide crew will play in opposition to the University of Saskatchewan on Dec. 30, the University of Calgary on Jan. 2, the University of Alberta on Jan. 3, then they are going to journey to Winnipeg to tackle the University of Manitoba Bisons on Jan. 9.
Profits from ticket gross sales will go to the Canada/Ukraine Foundation, which supplies help to humanitarian teams in Ukraine and Canada. It will disperse the vast majority of funds to Save Ukrainian Hockey Dream, a charitable basis operated by the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine with the help of the IIHF.
