Albany area Ukrainians come to the rescue of hockey team from Ukraine (02/04/01)

Albany area Ukrainians come to the rescue of hockey team from Ukraine

by Dr. Andrij O. Baran

ALBANY, N.Y. - The Sokil Ukrainian Youth Hockey Team was invited to participate in the New York State International Hockey Cup competition over the Christmas holidays - December 26, 2000, through January 5 - as one of 37 teams from seven countries including Germany, Russia, Belarus, Canada, the Czech Republic and the United States.

Sokil accepted the invitation last summer and preparations were made for 20, 14-year-old boys, along with their coaches, sponsors and some parents to fly to JFK and then to travel by bus to Albany, N.Y., where the tournament was held.

Just 10 days before departure, the tournament organizers in Albany were notified that the U.S. State Department would not issue visas to the team's sponsors, but only to three coaches and the players. This decision placed the entire team's participation in jeopardy, as the sponsors withdrew their financial support, leaving the Sokil team with just enough money for airfare for only 13 boys and two coaches with no allowance for hotels or food.

The tournament organizers turned to the Ukrainian diaspora for help. They placed a call to this writer, as head of the greater Albany District of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, for assistance.

Despite the short notice and the imposition of unexpected guests at Christmastime, the Ukrainian community in Albany and Saratoga responded.

The boys arrived on Christmas Day and were spirited away to various Ukrainian families' homes for Christmas dinner. Each family took two to three boys. Their coaches, Andrij and Valentin Utkin, the latter considerably famous in world hockey, also were hosted by local families

The following day a reception was held at the Ukrainian Club in Watervliet. The team was officially welcomed by the head of the Albany District president of the UCCA, as well as by Michael Sawkiw, head of national UCCA, who was visiting his parents in nearby Cohoes.

The team was presented with a large Ukrainian flag and treated to dinner and coffee. Volodimir Kislitsin, the only parent issued a visa, expressed his sincere gratitude for the warm reception and indicated the group's amazement that Ukrainians in America have preserved their language and customs, and have such cultural and religious centers. Over $700 was raised to help support the team that night.

The next day was Sokil's first game, against Riessersee, the German team. With many fans in the stands waving Ukrainian flags and chanting "Go, Sokil," the boys skated to a decisive 6-0 victory. The players were elated and returned to their host families victorious.

In between games they were treated to such American concepts as Wal-Mart, Friendly's, McDonald's, Ponderosa and the shopping mall. Many of the host families opened their wallets as well as their homes, buying the boys some well-earned souvenirs.

The team's spirit was not matched by their equipment, which paled before the U.S. team's expensive regalia. In order to help the boys at least in some small measure, a new goalie's vest was purchased, using the funds raised at the reception and donated to the team. This was greatly appreciated, as the Sokil's goalie's own vest was made of deerskin and was nearly useless in reducing pain from blocked pucks.

On Saturday, December 30, 2000, after successfully defeating their opponents 3-2, the team and their host families braved the nor'easter snowstorm to attend a professional hockey game between the Albany River Rats, the farm team for the New Jersey Devils, and the Hartford Wolfpack, the farm team for the New York Rangers. The boys were thrilled to see one of their own former Sokil players, Alexander Zinevich, play for the hometown River Rats. Mr. Zinevich and with his wife, Tanya, warmly greeted the Sokil team .

Despite their lack of equipment, and with three of their best players left behind in Kyiv for lack of funds, the team acquitted itself well, completing its stay in the United States with four wins and two losses, both of which came at the hands of much larger teams from Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Their departure was bittersweet as many of the boys had endeared themselves to their Ukrainian American hosts. Tears were shed on both sides at their departure.

While the visiting players thanked Albany-area Ukrainians for our hospitality, we, in turn, thanked them for providing us with the opportunity to truly practice the Christmas spirit.

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