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The Ball Hockey Boys of Beeton

June 14, 2013   ·   0 Comments

Dear editor:

A number of boys and there parents headed down for the Annual Charity Ball Hockey Tournament known in years past as the World’s largest Ball Hockey Tournament in the World. That is quite a site driving into Brantford home of the Great Wayne Gretzky and family. There are rows upon rows of fencing set up, schools being used, tennis courts where ever there was a flat surface there was a game happening from the youngest age of 5/6 to grown men.

Saturday morning the boys met a team 16 and under age group that seemed to be more interest in getting under our skin then actually playing a game of street hockey. Final score 11–3 Beeton.

Same day hours later the boys met with little opposition and clearly handed the opposing team an 8–3 loss to them.  We waited with anticipation to see if we would get the bye.  4 Teams out of 13 had won 2 games and we were forced to play a 3rd round Robin game.

Initially we were told that we would have to play the team we beat 1st in the morning and the commissioners agreed that this would not be beneficial to either side as tempers had flared and not subdued well we ended up playing a wonderful group of boys who just got together and wanted to play for the goalie. He was very small for his age but just loved the game.  He smiled with every save he made our boys were gracious and the final score was 13–1. It may not seem that we were gracious but they were. The ball was passed around and around before a shot was made on net and the goalie made a few great safes. The lone goal scored on Beeton was with less then one minute left and the boys on our team stopped to watch a fight that had broken out beside us.  By the end both teams were hugging and that young goalie was grinning from ear to ear….That’s ball hockey.

At this point the boys ended in third place due to goals for and against and I will let you know that all goals scored but two were penalty shots against Beeton.

Our quarter final game on Sunday morning was won easily 8–3. Remember these boys played outdoors in Heat, Sun, Rain, Wind uneven ground and kept on laughing and joking with one and all and each other showing true spirit of the game.

The boys were to play the defending Champs from last year to whom they lost in the quarter finals Brantford Sr’s. This should have been the final, it was hard fought nicely matched and fierce. They scored first which had not happened the whole tournament….was this an omen? We evened the score, they scored we scored.  End of the first half 2–2. Wow unreal. We broke out, our boys held their tempers did not fall into their traps and won clearly 5–2. What a game. They were going to the finals! 45 minutes later the boys were to finally play indoors and many spectators were watching including men from team Canada past, it was quite exciting. The opposing team Brantford Jr’s were no match for Beeton and the boys clearly handed them an 11–4 loss. But these boys also were true sportsmen and they realized they just didn’t have enough steam in their tanks.

I would like to thank our Head Coach Chris Blakey for putting this group and team together, would like to thank our Assistant “Mini Rick” Luigi DePalma, the parents for keeping the boys fueled to play 6 games in two days and most importantly the following players in no particular order; Domenic DePalma, GianLuca Pallotta, Matt “Hudggie” Huddgin, Brendan Torlone, Spencer MacKichan, Jeremy Bonnevento, Dylan Bell, Cody Greene, Danny Fillatre, Christian Petrozza and Mike Masucci

Great memories made and old ones remembered, thanks boys!

Laura Masucci

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