Newcomers get hockey initiation
Children from 13 nations thrilled to witness our passion for game
The theme of the Memorial Cup is always one of remembrance and this year’s tournament is one a class of Northwood Public School students will never forget.
After making such a positive first impression on tournament organizers during a field trip to the WFCU Centre on Tuesday, the Grade 5 class was given 60 tickets to Wednesday ’s game while Sharp Bus Lines provided a free school bus to transport the group to the rink.
For nearly all of the diverse class, which represents 13 countries, it was the first hockey game they had ever seen.
“The game was amazing,” said Mohamed Hamezeh, who moved to Windsor from Dubai in 2015.
“I wasn’t expecting it to be that awesome. I don’t know how the players can move like that.”
The game could hardly be more incredible than how teacher Jaime Patillo’s class ended up witnessing the Windsor Spitfires’ win over Erie to earn a berth in Sunday’s Memorial Cup final.
The class had been one of the groups selected to research a CHL team and community (North Bay) and have their project displayed at the tournament.
They also got a tour of the Memorial Cup exhibits and a chance to win tickets to today’s semifinal match.
“The kids were a little disappointed we didn’t win the lottery, but we were talking about all the compliments they received for their respectfulness, kindness and enthusiasm,” Patillo said.
“I was just explaining to them when you do good things in public, often good things come back to you.
“Then about five minutes later our principal (Rob Romano) knocks on the door to say we’ve been offered 60 tickets to the Spitfires’ game Wednesday.”
Patillo, who is in her first year at Northwood, isn’t surprised her student’s qualities caught the eyes of tournament organizers.
“They clap and cheer my arrival every day,” Patillo said. “It’s the most enthusiastic class I’ve ever had (in 11 years of teaching).”
Patillo had to scramble in the 50 minutes before the final bell Tuesday to find transportation, write a letter to parents and supply students with field trip forms for the trip to happen.
“I just called Sharp Bus Lines and asked for a free bus,” Patillo said. “We couldn’t have gone without them.”
Patillo’s letter home proved very persuasive.
All but five of her 29 students were able to make the game.
Twenty other staff members helped with the chaperoning duties.
Decked out in Spitfires’ colours, touting homemade signs, blue wigs and screaming their support, it was pretty hard to miss the group whose primary objective seemed to be to try to get on the centre-ice jumbotron.
Aima Basit, who arrived from Pakistan in 2015, said she got to see another side of the residents of her adopted nation.
“They’re kind of crazy,” Basit said of Canadians’ hockey passion. “It was really intense. “My favourite memory was watching the Spitfires’ players banging the Erie Otters into the wall and getting the puck.”
Basit is clearly a quick study in understanding the elements most valued by Windsor fans.
Annan Siddiqui displayed the keen eye of a scout in choosing to focus his attention on Spits’ goalie Mikey DiPietro.
“He had so many amazing saves,” Siddiqui said.
“The puck is so small, I don’t know how he could see it going 100 m.p.h. with all those people in front of him.”
However, in all the fun of their Memorial Cup experiences, students also took away the lesson that little things matter — when you think no one is watching.
“Any one of us could’ve messed it up (by misbehaving),” Fahad Arif said.
“(Patillo) is the one who made us the class we are. She’s the one who has helped us grow as friends and classmates.”