WE FINISHED the league season last weekend in fourth position.
Our congratulations to Swindon Wildcats, who secured the title on Saturday in our away fixture.
I’m delighted to give over most of our coverage this week to the winning contributions in our School Zone Inspiring Player Competition.
We’re proud to have brought so many of you into the hockey family at Bracknell. I wonder if some time in the future any of you will be receiving awards for service to the Club, as happened before Sunday’s game for James Galazzi and Scott Spearing. They were congratulated by Richard Dobney for representing the Bees on over 400 occasions.
INTERVIEW: Scott Spearing says Bees are better placed to challenge in this year’s play-offs
Following a successful season with the launch of the Schools Programme, we have been overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response from schools, children and parents.
With over 60 schools signed up across Berks, Surrey and Hampshire, we have been busy visiting lots of fantastic schools talking about ice hockey, fitness, mental health and diet.
We asked fans to vote for the player that had inspired them in the School Zone and we are happy to announce that Tyler VanKleef received the most votes.
On our last Schools Zone Game on March 24, Tyler will recieve the award from Ellouise Cardrick aged 11, from Crown Wood Primary School in class 6MS. Ellouise voted for Tyler because he moves smooth, yet fast over the ice and he is amazing at scoring the most fantastic goals.
We also received a very thought provoking entry from Oliver Lincoln aged 11, from Bohunt Wokingham and we are proud that he will have his photograph taken with Danny Milton.
Oliver wrote:
The sweet taste of victory
I live with Epilepsy, it is a daily challenge. I don’t like taking medication, I don’t like feeling sick and dizzy, I don’t like getting headaches, I don’t like missing school.
But life is bigger than a medical condition and I am passionate about sport; the more I can experience the happier I am. I love football, Futsal, NFL and thanks to Bohunt School and the Bracknell Bees, I now love ice hockey too. My world has expanded.
I went to a match through the School Zone programme, I saw the big sign on the walls showing that the Bracknell Bees support the charity ‘Young Epilepsy’, I saw it on the player’s shirts. I felt welcome. I watched this new intense and extraordinary fast paced sport for the first time. I cheered, I “booed”, I “fist-bumped” the players as they came off the ice. I wanted to skate.
I enrolled on a course at the ice rink and I am now practicing for my level 4. If I can master the moves; can move confidently forward and backwards, I can start to learn the skating skills for ice hockey. If I do that, I may be able to join other young people playing the game.
We all have to start somewhere. I had never stepped on the ice six months ago and now I can see that one day I will be able to play a new and exciting sport.
The player that I want to vote for is the goal tender Danny Milton. He is brave and fearless, when he steps on the ice, nothing else matters. He is flexible and agile even in the immense amount of body armour he has to wear. He uses his astonishingly quick reactions and every ounce of his energy to move his body to block every shot. He is a momentum-stopper and a dream-wrecker. He is inspirational.
He is like a defender bee, ready to sting intruders to protect his ‘hive’, there is so much to protect. Every puck is a threat and every goal counts.
He works intelligently and tirelessly with the other players to resist attack. His resilience and bravery, brainpower and cunning make it possible for his teammates to score goals so the Bracknell Bees and their supporters can all taste the sweet taste of victory.
We are proud that Gary Skeggs from AVSS will join both Ellouise and Oliver on the ice.
