My first All-Stars weekend is over! Well, my first one I've played in and hope to be in Cardiff next year for the 2015 All-Stars!
My weekend began on Friday!
With my hockey bag all packed up - along with my other bags - work finished and beer bought, it was off to Sheffield for a long weekend with a group of friends that were coming to support me.
After arriving in Sheffield, we had every plan of checking in, going to Puck Stop, and going for a meal at Nando’s before heading to the night do at the Sports Bar. But as we all know, plans never ever go the way you expect them to.
Well, we got checked in, we ended up getting to Puck Stop for a few last minute bits of equipment I needed to get, and that's where the plan hit a glitch. We got back to the hotel and while Kim was getting ready (as we all know women do take their sweet time...) I thought I’ll tape my sticks up so I didn’t have to get up and do it hung over in the morning. By the time I’d finished - and by the way, Kim still wasn’t ready - we didn’t have time for tea so had to make our way to the Noose and Gibbet for the drunken antics to begin, ignoring the fact that everyone had Ice Hockey to play the following day!
The night at the Steelers Sports Bar started brilliantly with the arrival of the Virgin 505 riders who had biked from Cardiff to Sheffield in just 5 days, and were welcomed to the Steelers Bar in magnificent fashion with everyone stood outside waiting for them!
From then, we moved back inside for the first part of the quiz night and I’d like to say I paid attention but well, I really didn’t (I was blaming the two Budweiser’s in the hotel room, the two pints at the Gibbet and the four pint pincher of Carling (which eventually became another four) I purchased when I got to the bar).
It then came to the auction, and at this point we had already found out that the latest fundraising update had passed 32K, and this was before a single puck had been dropped! The auction went fantastic and I ended up bidding on the sign Steelers shirt, but also was massively tempted by the Dallas Stars shirt - it was times like that when I wish I had a credit card because despite not being a Stars fan, that was a rare piece of memorabilia.
So night one was a massive success, lots more money was raised for charity, I ended up ridiculously drunk, so I put that down to a good night to be honest.
So the next morning, a banging head, lack of appetite and an Ice Hockey tournament to take part in!
I arrived at the rink a little later than planned, and after picking up my skates went downstairs with my gear to meet everyone in the Blue Cross dressing room. It was there where I got to know everyone and allow the weekend banter to commence - and it was twisted, hilarious and classic. I’m afraid if I wrote it, Liam would have to start censoring and age-rating my posts! With the tunes on, the gear on, and the team talk done it was time to hit the ice for warm-ups - fingers crossed without falling over, as I hadn’t skated for five years - and it went by with incident - the falling over just came later on where I turned it comical for my own humour to save the fact I just hit the deck.
Mine and Blue Cross’s All-Star debut came in the second game of the tournament, when we took on the Autism Plus team, and what a start it was to the tournament as we went out 6-2 winners, with forward Craig Shearman getting on the score sheet early, starting the tournament with at least a hat-trick (maybe more). It felt so good to be back out on the ice and I could feel the legs coming back.
Unfortunately we had a lengthy break till our next game, when we took on the Prostate Cancer UK team in a game where we wanted to carry on a good start, but only came away with a 2-2 tie - a result I put down to the big break.
But it was a very quick turnaround as the ice got cut and we were straight back on the ice again to face Help For Heroes - and what a game it was! Full of end to end action, in which we came away with a 2-0 win with Keith Hinde grabbing both our goals, with a fantastic performance in between the pipes by captain Tom Martin to get his first shut-out of the tournament, leaving us on 5 points going into our final game of the day!
The last game of the day came when we took on Dreams Come True, and we were able to come away with a 2-2 tie - but we had to come from 2 goals down after a terrible start in which we allowed them to score two goals in quick succession before we fought back to secure an unbeaten first day in the tournament.
From then it was onto the main event and even more beer (we’ll never learn) but hey - it’s the All-Stars, so has to be done.
We spent the Saturday night in the Stars and Mayfair, getting a few team selfies and party dancing in, before that terrible Frozen song came on (editorial note: I think he means Let It Go) - which was apparently requested by a lot of people. I mean why, the last thing I need is that song stuck in my head like every day when I’m with Kim!
All that was before venturing into the Casino. I managed to prevent myself from getting the wallet out more than once, then we travelled to Lead Mill to meet up with everyone else, where the partying and drinking continued to the early hours of the morning before we eventually made it back to the hotel to grab a bit of sleep before day two of the tournament.
So we move onto day two of the tournament, and to say everyone was wide awake would be an understatement as I believe not everyone looked a little worse for wear (alcohol induced). The majority of the Blue Cross team looked quite lively, and not as bad as other teams except our two Netminders who looked like they could curl over and die. The captain was definitely leading by example, but let’s be honest, we couldn’t and wouldn’t have it any other way.
Our first game of the day and we come up against the Sheffield Children’s Hospital, and if it wasn’t for some fantastic netminding we probably would have won the game - but we played out a goalless draw. It wasn’t all us though - we had to rely on our goaltender Tom Martin to be on form to secure his second shut-out of the tournament.
We didn’t let that dampen our spirits though, and we moved onto our penultimate group game against British Heart Foundation. This time out we had Leckie in goal, trying to get him his first win of the tournament after two consecutive 2-2 draws for him. While we got him his win - we were 3-0 up going into the final shift of the game - but with the clock ticking down Ashley Wiltshire popped up to steal Leckie’s shut-out. The important thing, though, was we got the win, and going into the final game we knew we were already practically in the final, but we knew a win would secure it 100%.
We’d already done a bit of dancing before games on the ice, and I’m sure videos will pop up on YouTube and around Facebook and Twitter (I might even post links myself).
The final group game was against Breast Cancer Care, and we were told to go out there, get the job done and enjoy ourselves - and that’s exactly what we did. I certainly enjoyed it anyway, going up against Jono Bullard from Cat Whisker - we said beforehand it’s like the battle of the media, Frozen Steel v Cat Whiskers - it’s all good banter!
We had Tom back in goal, and again he took another shut-out as we saw off Team Boobies 2-0. On the final buzzer we all went straight to Tom in goal for a little celebration - I mean it was Blue Cross’s first year as part of the All-Stars and we’d gotten to the final. And what a way to start my debut year in making it to the final!
We eventually found out that we’d up against Autism Plus in the final, and what a final it promised to be, Unfortunately we lost 3-2 - after coming from behind twice to level the game we couldn’t equalise a third time to take it to penalty shots - despite being awarded a penalty shot in the dying seconds which was impeded on - and as we all know if you impede on a penalty shot the rule is an automatic goal. Apparently not in this match, instead we were told to re-take and it was missed on the buzzer.
So we lost the final, but we didn’t let that dampen our spirits. We all skated straight over to our captain Tom in the goal and huddled up with a few wise words, before the handshakes, followed by a team photo, followed by a quick lap of the ice to thank everyone who came to watch. What a reception we got, especially when I got round to my friends - they gave me an absolutely fantastic cheer, which got to me and made me both proud, and glad I made all them proud - and I thank them for that, it meant the world to me.
We got changed, had a beer and came together as a team, and I have to say it’s the best dressing room I have ever been in. Next year Blue Cross will definitely be my number 1 choice, as I couldn’t imagine representing anyone else, and want to carry on with the Blue Cross for years to come.
We had our presentation, and received our runners-up medal to go with our jerseys with pride. Congratulations to Autism Plus on winning the tournament, we’ll get you next year!
The tournament was done now - all that was left was the leaving party, which turned into a night out, but what a night out it was. I wouldn’t have changed it for the world, and there is nothing better than having a night out when you don’t intend on it, it was certainly one of those spur of the moments.
I would like to thank everyone who came and watched over the weekend, and who cheered me on - like I’ve already said I really do appreciate it. Also, thank you to everyone that has sponsored me - every little bit helps.
I would also like to thank the organisers who gave me the opportunity to play in the weekend, and can’t wait for next year - just to hopefully be a part of All-Stars 2015 in Cardiff and raise even more money (fingers crossed representing team Blue Cross after such an awesome year), and finally thank you to my team mates. I couldn’t have asked to be part of a better dressing room, if I don’t see you during the EIHL season I’ll see you next year in Cardiff J
Tom Walkeden
#96 Team Blue Cross #ProudToBeBlueCross
@TomWalkeden
1 comment:
We were all proud of you x
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