On March 25, 2015, Realtors from the BNT Division of the
Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver got together and spent the day playing in a hockey tournament with net proceeds going to Auntie Leah's Place benefiting kids in foster care and teen moms to achieve a brighter future. This is the 5th year that I have participated and for the 2nd year in a row, I was fortunate to be a part of the winning team, playing with some great local Realtors and having a lot of fun.
(Saluting the vending machines during the halftime break with my biggest fan)
(Doing some stretches)
There were 4 teams consisting of 14-15 players playing in a round robin tournament to determine the ranking. Each team was sponsored by an awesome and generous professional who are closely related to our industry. Special thanks go out to
Spagnuolo & Company Real Estate Law Firm,
Kim Matick from TD Canada Trust Mortgages,
Peter Pasula from Dominion Lending Center as well as the host rink
Planet Ice in Coquitlam. Teams play a minimum of 3 games with the 2 top teams competing in a do or die 4th game to determine the champion. Most of us on the winning team were dying during this 4th game anyway so it was actually more like a death match for everyone! We were 2-1 entering the 3rd period but finished strong with our tenacious forecheck, short shifts and timely goals. We scored the winning goal with less than 30 seconds left in the game to take home the hardware with a 3-2 victory over Team Planet Ice.
As mentioned earlier, the tournament was played at Planet Ice in Coquitlam, which is a 4 rink complex with a gym and physio center and a vibrant restaurant upstairs and conveniently located nearby highway 1 in the Cape Horn industrial park. There are also many
drop in programs for the public, such as public skating, lessons and rink rentals. If you are needing a good ice surface and friendly staff, this rink offers that and more!
(Our trophy)
(Team TD - Kim Matick)
Aside from the joy of playing for the winning team, the biggest thrill for myself was seeing how impressed our little guy was to see that I was on the ice and celebrating a victory like I was actually playing for his favorite team, the Vancouver Canucks! He had a hundred questions for me on the car ride home like "Did it hurt when that big guy ran into you?" "How come you didn't hit him back?" "How come you keep falling?" and so on and so on. Although I wasn't voted the MVP of the tournament, at least one little guy thought I was one and that is more than enough for me.
