Junior Devils join club’s stars for fundraiser

CHILDREN from a Cardiff ice hockey team took part in a tournament to see how the professionals play.

Cardiff Junior Devils, based at the Ice Arena Wales in Cardiff Bay, held the event on Sunday for kids aged nine to 11.

And the lucky participants got to experience what it would be like if they were a Cardiff Devils’ player when they got to use the changing rooms and had their very own opening ceremony – complete with dry ice, flashing lights and their names read over the loud speaker.

After singing the national anthem, the kids took part in the friendly – with the under-9s being pitted against the under11s – with Devils’ manager Todd Kelmana acting as announcer for the game.

And four star players, Joey Haddad, Joey Martin, Mark Richardson and Devils’ captain Jake Morrisette, were on hand to drop the puck for the players and play alongside the children too.

Helen Hellings, the assistant co-ordinator for the event, said everyone had a fantastic day.

She said: “We had a brilliant day. It was a great opportunity for them to play a game against each other as big Devils.”

They also managed to raise nearly £1,000 to put back into the club by playing ‘quid on a stick,’ ‘chuck a puk’ and a raffle.

And there was also the chance to win the shirt off one of the player’s backs.

The money will now go towards buying away kit for the players, funding coaches and buses to get to games and bringing more players to the club.

But Helen said it was all thanks to the whole club coming together that made it all possible in the first place.

She said: “They were done by the parents who all volunteered. Everyone mucked in to help.

“If it wasn’t for the whole club, this wouldn’t have happened.”

For more information on joining the club, visit www.cardiffjuniordevils.com or contact head coach Andrew Lloyd by emailing him at lloyd27@live.co.uk