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JUNE/JULY 2019 D I G I T A L E X C L U S I V E USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM // 13 2019 SUMMER GCHOCKEY.COM REGISTER ONLINE TODAY! FULL DAY HALF DAY WEEKLY HOCKEY SCHOOL E U R O P E A N In what has become a testament to the power of hockey, the Haverford Hawks Ice Hockey Club celebrated the 20th anniversary of their exchange program with the Viikingit Ice Hockey Club of Finland. The 20th anniversary of the exchange coincides with the 45th year of the Hawks club. The latest chapter in this longstanding display of friendship, fun and global citizenship took place in April as 44 players representing three 14 & Under teams from the Delaware Valley of Pennsylvania made the 10-day trip to Helsinki for a culture exchange and hockey tournament. Since 1999, the clubs have alternated visits where the boys live with host families and are fully immersed in the culture of each country. The players practice together, have mixed scrimmages and then participate in an open tournament. Along the way the bonds of friendship are built, many of which continue on to this day. This year's trip kicked off with the local airport celebrating the Hawks' arrival with a water cannon salute and concluded with a farewell dinner at an 18th century fortress in Helsinki Harbor. According to Beth Shepard-Rabadam, who along with her husband Frank were co-chairs of the last two exchanges, it was a fitting way to celebrate the milestone anniversary. "Through hockey, we bridged 4,000 miles and made the world a smaller place for our players," she said. Haverford Hawks Spread Their Wings Through Cultural Exchange FOR THE FOURTH CONSECUTIVE SEASON, USA Hockey has established a new participation record at the 8 & Under age level as 123,303 boys and girls signed up to play hockey in the 2018-19 campaign. It also marks the sixth- straight season the organization has seen an increase in 8U participation. Nevada showed the largest gains in 8U participation, increasing by 116 percent, while Minnesota, Massachusetts and New York posted the largest 8U participation totals by state. YOUTH Growth Gains Spring From The Bottom, Up GOODWILL PHOTOS BY Beth Shepard-Rabadam; Scott Levy/MSG Photos