Individual News
8th of October 2009
On Saturday evening the Basingstoke Bison will honour the man who brought ice hockey to Basingstoke by retiring his number 12 jersey. I look forward to meeting Don Yewchin this week. In a strange coincidence, Don and I have played hockey against each other at both junior and University level. Whilst I played junior hockey for the Richmond Sockeyes, Don was playing for the Abbotsford Flyers. After completing our junior careers, scholarships led us both to University hockey. Don ventured south to San Diego to play for USIU. I headed in the opposite direction to Alaska!
I can remember a story about when our team were going to play USIU one cold February. We would always fly out on the “red-eye” flight which was after midnight sometime We had to fly everywhere we played as Alaska is far more north than any other University. I can recall the temperature at Fairbanks International Airport that evening being -54 degrees. I don’t know if any of you have ever experienced this type of cold before. It takes between one second and two seconds for your nose hairs to freeze when stepping outside. Upon arriving in San Diego, 22 guys flocked out of the airport and laid outside on the pavement. After being cooped up indoors for months, all of the players enjoyed the moment. It was 88 degrees Fahrenheit and absolute heaven! I think that eventually the coaches had to drag us away to collect our bags and get to the hotel.
It is a great honour to have your shirt retired by a team. I was fortunate to have my number 19 shirt retired by the Cardiff Devils where I spent 10 years. Three years ago, my number 19 shirt was retired at my University in Alaska. It was exciting to visit Fairbanks again and see most of my old teammates who also flew up for that weekend. The city of Fairbanks also inducted me into the Alaska Sporting Hall of Fame! That weekend I also saw a moose munching away outside the window of my hotel room.
Congratulations to Don Yewchin for his inspirational work building a hockey club which we are all now a part of, the Basingstoke Bison.
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Article published courtesy of the Basingstoke Gazette, Thursday 8th October 2009.
I can remember a story about when our team were going to play USIU one cold February. We would always fly out on the “red-eye” flight which was after midnight sometime We had to fly everywhere we played as Alaska is far more north than any other University. I can recall the temperature at Fairbanks International Airport that evening being -54 degrees. I don’t know if any of you have ever experienced this type of cold before. It takes between one second and two seconds for your nose hairs to freeze when stepping outside. Upon arriving in San Diego, 22 guys flocked out of the airport and laid outside on the pavement. After being cooped up indoors for months, all of the players enjoyed the moment. It was 88 degrees Fahrenheit and absolute heaven! I think that eventually the coaches had to drag us away to collect our bags and get to the hotel.
It is a great honour to have your shirt retired by a team. I was fortunate to have my number 19 shirt retired by the Cardiff Devils where I spent 10 years. Three years ago, my number 19 shirt was retired at my University in Alaska. It was exciting to visit Fairbanks again and see most of my old teammates who also flew up for that weekend. The city of Fairbanks also inducted me into the Alaska Sporting Hall of Fame! That weekend I also saw a moose munching away outside the window of my hotel room.
Congratulations to Don Yewchin for his inspirational work building a hockey club which we are all now a part of, the Basingstoke Bison.
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Article published courtesy of the Basingstoke Gazette, Thursday 8th October 2009.