Hockey Haven

As a kid growing up in Canada, it’s inevitable that hockey will become a big part of your life – whether you want it to be or not. Being from a country that has produced stars such as Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy, I remember imitating these national heroes when playing street hockey with my brother and the neighbors after school in our cul-de-sac. We would watch local Junior A games on Thursday nights, play floor hockey during gym class, cheer for our beloved Vancouver Canucks while waving our white towels during playoffs and scream at the TV during the World Championships or Olympics when Team Canada was battling for gold. Members of the Canadian Women’s Hockey Team were Gods to me when in elementary school. Hayley Wickenheiser was a role model for all young girls, especially when she had success in men’s pro leagues in the off-season. I remember begging my dad to let me play girls hockey, even ringette – but he wasn’t hearing it. “Too dangerous,” or “I don’t want you to get hurt” was always the response. Looking back, I realize he was probably worried I’d twist a knee or hurt my shooting hand and basketball would be out of the picture ☺. I have memories of proudly wearing my yellow, black and orange Canuck t-shirt, trying to find the Russian Rocket’s (Pavel Bure) house on Marine Drive with my cousin while she was crying (literally crying) with happiness when she thought she saw it, showing off my Bure, Kirk McLean and Trevor Linden trading cards at school, how the NHL Playoffs always brought out the best in people and united the city. Canuck flags would be waving out car windows, people wearing jerseys everyday of the week – even to work, pots being banged or random car horns honking in the early evening, signaling a Vancouver goal. Even though my brother and I never played organized hockey or attended many live NHL games, following the Canucks on TV or sipping hot chocolate at the cold ice rink while supporting our friends who played on the local teams like the Richmond Sockeyes or the Sefair Islanders was a big part of our lives. I wouldn’t label myself a hockey fan (as I don’t really follow the NHL), rather a Canuck fan and someone who reps Canada hard when the National Teams are abroad protecting Canada’s reputation as the best in the World. Hockey is a huge part of Canadian culture, and even though it’s not our national sport, I’m very thankful it was a big part of my childhood growing up. Living in this type of atmosphere as a kid, you’d think I’d seen it all when it comes to hockey. Wrong! Finland continues to surprise me with its uniqueness. With the West Coast rarely receiving snow during the winter, it’s hard to find an outdoor hockey or skating rink (except if you count the big frozen puddle at Garry Point!) Due to the freezing weather in Finland, it's no surprise they are a dime a dozen in this country. Outside my apartment, across the street from the entrance you can find 2 huge man made hockey rinks and a skating track. There are no boards, but lines are painted on the ice. Big stadium lights surround the area, where people of all ages play hockey and speed skate all hours of the day. Organized games are played on the weekends. The lights turn on at 6am and off at 9pm. (This gets slightly annoying when you hear slap shots at 6:30 in the morning on a weekday or weekend!) And it doesn’t stop there. Kids of all ages routinely tote their hockey sticks to school with their backpacks. There is a hockey rink attached to our gym (along with an indoor track) where we see the hockey players run daily outside, work on plyos at the indoor track, and lift in the weight room. If there’s a hockey game at the arena that night, it is best to avoid the area, as traffic is insane with street patrollers directing cars in this tucked away area of Jyväskylä.

And it gets better with 2 words: floor ball. Ever heard of it? Neither had I until I started to witness it everyday after basketball practice and to my astonishment, see it on Finnish TV almost nightly. Floor ball is basically floor hockey. It’s played in a gym with players wearing runners and jerseys. And these aren’t little kids, these are teenagers and guys well into their 20’s. The goalies are all geared up, minus sticks and bulky pads. And get this - there are boards that connect around the gym to create a regulation oval. The game is played with plastic sticks and a wiffle ball, with the physical part of hockey still intact. The stick handling is very impressive and player’s jerseys are adorned with as many sponsors as ours – the game is serious. This isn’t like killing time in gym class for fun, these guys are playing to win and take no mercy even when going against their teammates. Mikko told me that the players who play floor ball are the ice hockey rejects and scoffs at it being called a sport. In my opinion, it’s definitely a sport – more so than golf. But it’s hard to believe something like this could be so popular that people are charged to attend games and that some gyms are specifically designed for floor ball and are broadcasted on television for viewers to watch in the comfort of their home. Crazy! You’d think with all the hockey that’s going on in Finland, they would be challenging the Canadians and Russians for gold every year. Notable players from Suomi (Finland) include Saku Koivu, Teemu Selänne, Miikka Kiprusoff and ex-Canuck Jaarko Ruutu.

Anyway, I’m starting to get uncomfortable as I’m sitting on the bus heading for game 1 of 2 this weekend. Time to turn off my computer and relax. I have to mentally prep for my pre-game Soulja Boy dance with Charlee…it’s a routine that has proved to make us both play well when we rock the beat!


Click play to watch the video above!

-BW

Sidenote: Thanks for the peanut butter and jam Kat – you rock!

Off to the races...Literally

After practice Monday morning, Mikko informed us we would be going to the horse track later that night to meet the team horse. What? Team horse? Of course Charlee, Lizanne and I assume that we’ll visit a stable, check out the horse and go back to the warmth of our apartment. Wrong! Instead, that evening our team piles into a couple of cars and meets at the track 10 minutes outside of town. It’s about -3 outside, there is snow on the ground and mixed with mud, it can be a bad combination for your white Nike Shox (aka my winter boots). After walking about a mile through the muddy snow while dodging horses and their jockeys, we finally arrive at the stable where we meet our horse – King Arthur. Apparently HoNsU owns half the rights to the horse, so whenever he wins a race or finishes in the top 3, our club gets money. Interesting, I’ve never heard of a basketball club owning a racehorse…but nothing shocks me anymore. After posing for pictures with King Arthur, meeting other horses in the stable and petting our meal ticket for good luck, we head out to the track to watch the horses warm up.

At this point the 3 of us are freezing. We were definitely not prepared to hang outside in the freezing Finland winter air. Dressed in sweatshirts and winter jackets, we’re kicking ourselves for not bringing scarves, gloves and perhaps full-face masks to fight off the cold air. We dance around outside (trying to keep warm) for about 30 minutes, then head towards the stadium which is indoors and apparently has heat. However, since we are on the other side of the racetrack, the walk takes about 15 minutes. Not happy campers, our teammates don’t help the situation by continually proclaiming it’s not cold and throwing snowballs at the 3 of us. Not funny! We finally make it to the stadium, where Charlee, Lizanne and I rush inside to get our body temperatures back to normal. At this point we are over the whole idea of horse races, but decide to embrace it and gamble money on King Arthur. With not one of us knowing a thing about horse racing, we place our bets. Who cares, since this is probably where most of our paychecks are coming from! King Arthur looks like a strong confident horse, and not being much of a risk taker, Charlee and I throw down 5 Euros each on #12. Lizanne is so confident in King Arthur that she puts down 10 Euros. After watching two races, finally it’s time for King Arthur to prove his worth. After one lap he is in 2nd last. Even though indoors, and about 500 meters from the track, we scream at the horse to go faster and bring home that gawp! Apparently it helped, because on the final lap King Arthur came from behind and placed second. Whoo hoo! HoNsU earns 500 Euro and Charlee and I make 3 Euros off our 5 Euro bets. Lizanne fairs better collecting 6 Euros. Thinking the evening is over and it’s time to head home, we are proved wrong yet again and have to watch the final 7 races. This would have been torture had we not been treated to dinner at the stadium’s restaurant. An interesting evening to say the least.

Gambling seems to be a huge part of the Finnish culture. Aside from horse racing, slot machines are everywhere you go – no joke. I almost feel like I’m back in Las Vegas (Kelly, Brian I miss you!) My first encounter with one was as soon as I got off the plane at the Helsinki airport. There were slot machines lined up parallel to the baggage claim. Don’t want to stand around for 10 minutes waiting for your bag? Why not gamble your money away! But seriously, there are slot machines outside our gym, in the cafeteria, at the corner store, in the bank (!), in the lobby of Hotelli Alba and even outside the grocery store checkout stand. It’s bizarre. The funny thing is that the slots are rarely empty. People of all ages play these machines all hours of the day. And you know what’s so amusing? I’ve never seen anyone win. One day the 3 of us were feeling lucky (or we were just impatient while waiting for our ride to pick us up after dinner) Lizanne tried her luck with 2 Euros. With all the buttons and instructions in Finnish, we decided to randomly press different colored buttons. To no avail – Lizanne lost her 2 Euros. It’s funny how different cultures have their own past times, and it seems hockey and gambling are the two of choice in Suomi (Finland).

After 3 weeks here, I’m still enjoying myself. Even though it is cold and has started snowing (4 inches in 2 hours – wow!), I’ve met some really cool people and have been able to keep myself busy. Though it would be nice to be playing in a place like Greece where it is sunny and I could look out on the Mediterranean after practice, I’m learning more about Scandinavia and am getting excited to visit a nearby countries like Sweden and Estonia (which would have never been on the list of places to visit). I’m continually hearing great things about the city of Tallinn, and after researching online, it seems like it’s going to be an interesting place. I’ll be sure blog all about it when I visit at the end of the month.

I miss my friends and family, but being able to talk to them on Skype makes home not as far away. I’m so thankful for programs like Facebook and MySpace, allowing me to stay connected day to day with friends. I feel as though I’m not that far away, rather, out of town for a couple weeks. What would we do without the Internet? Though in a different country, I’ve been able to meet some people from ‘home’. It’s funny how you are able to pick out a Canadian or American on the street or at a nightclub. (Normally it’s the people who cheer when English music comes on!) Obviously I’ve become close with the 2 girls I live with and am thankful that we all get along so well. But I’ve also become friends with Gavin (a Canadian on the men’s volleyball team – very entertaining), Monty (an American on the men’s basketball team), and some American girls from a rival club 20 minutes outside of Jyväskylä. One of the girls played at Notre Dame and we guarded one another our freshmen year! Small world. It’s weird to befriend a rival, because on the court there is no mercy. However, when in an unfamiliar environment you tend to gravitate towards those similar to you. Whenever meeting someone from North America it’s as if we are old friends. Chatting like we have known each other for years and planning to meet up sometime during the week. After games I find myself talking to the American players and questioning them about their situations and what not. It’s kind of funny when you think about it. Game tomorrow versus BC Nokia – I feel like it’s going to be a good one!

-BW

Ouch – My body hurts!

Ever wonder where all those excess t-shirts that didn’t sell at the local sporting goods store go? You know the ones I’m talking about. Fifty in every size, hanging on the circular clothing racks, produced in mass quantities often without quality in mind. They can be bright and loud, or adorned with too many graphics on the front and back. If you’re really lucky you might own one circa 1990s, with Shaq Attack, Larry Johnson’s Grandmama’s House or Lil’ Penny gracing the front of your t-shirt. Well wonder no longer, as I have solved the mystery we have all at one time pondered. These t-shirts my friends end up in Finland. Seriously! And it’s not just the t-shirts. It’s the sweat pants, basketball shorts and running shoes. At practice I sometimes feel like I’m back in elementary school when looking at the practice gear my teammates show up in. Purple t-shirt, orange shorts – yeah, that matches! Green shorts, turquoise t-shirt – sure why not! Bright yellow running shoes – I wish I thought of that! Charlee, Lizanne and I look forward to every practice, wondering which fashion faux pas we will see next. It’s quite entertaining, especially because I’m sure we are regarded the same way in our conservative black shorts and white or grey t-shirts.

But how can I talk about practice without mentioning stretching? Most people don’t realize how important it is to stretch before and after you practice or play a game, especially if you are working out everyday. Even I didn’t realize it until I came overseas. All throughout high school and in my 4 years at UDUB I rarely stretched unless ordered to do so. “I don’t need to,” “It doesn’t work,” “I’m flexible, don’t worry about me,” or “stretching is for old people,” I’d often find myself saying. Well I must be getting old then! Everyday I seem to find myself stiff and sore after a practice, game or from lifting weights. My 22 years seem to be catching up with me. ☺ I now find myself arriving early for practice to run laps around the gym, defensive slide up and down the court, karaoke shuffle back and forth and integrate dynamic stretches between sets. After this routine has got my muscles warm and a sweat starting to form, it’s time for 10 minutes of good stretching. It’s amazing what stretching can do for you. After my customary warm-up has got my muscles moving, I feel as light and quick as I did in college. Strange how your body can react to different places and seems to want more attention as you get older. Something to look forward to…I guess!

Perhaps my sore body has something to do with the cold weather and falling snow. You read that right - it snowed here two days ago! Snow in November?? What! It’s a strange thing to see, especially being from the West Coast where it rarely ever snows and sticks. It’s been cold since I arrived, but I never expected snow to start falling – at least not in November. Even Lizanne was shocked, and she hails from Montreal, home of -30 winters. Yet Finland has proved me otherwise, which I suppose makes sense since Jyväskylä is approximately 500km south of the Arctic Circle. It hasn’t snowed again since Wednesday, but 4 inches of snow on the ground is making me wonder why I didn’t pack winter boots. My Nike shox will have to do until I head home for Christmas. The snow on the other hand hasn’t stopped our resident naked guy from prancing around in all his glory. Our large kitchen window overlooks a lake and the apartment building across the way from us. Where on exactly the same floor, the naked guy wanders around his apartment every morning without a care in the world. All while his blinds and curtains are wide open. It doesn’t seem to bother him as he talks on the phone, reads and newspaper and makes his breakfast sans clothes while Charlee, Lizanne and I eat our breakfast. Not exactly as sight you want to see that early in the morning, especially when eating!

Anyway, big game tomorrow for us and the Huskies. My team and I take on Huima who is one game ahead of us in the standings, while the Dawgs open their season vs. Kansas State in Manhattan. Bow Down! And don’t forget Husky Football, we need a win as they take on Oregon State – Beat the Beavs!

I'm sure many of you heard of the horrible shootings that occurred this week at a Finnish high school. Obviously I'm alive and safe here in Jyväskylä. Finland is a country that is known for its safety and lack of murders and violence. However, terrible things can happen anywhere, and thankfully my teammates and I were nowhere near the shootings that occurred outside of Helsinki. Please have your thoughts with the families of the 8 who perished.

-BW

The Little Things

Moi! (Hello!)

It's funny how when you travel to a new country, or live in a new environment, all the things you took for granted become wants and needs. Whether it's enjoying your breakfast while reading the morning paper (in English), grabbing your drink of choice at Starbucks, watching Husky football, asking for directions (in English), or enjoying peanut butter spread on toast. Oh peanut butter...now there is something I really do miss! It's thick texture, sweet taste and the creamy completeness it brings to a sandwich. You don't realize how much you miss peanut butter until you can't have it. It's got me bad. Peanut butter ceases to exist in Finland. I've found a condiment that pretends to be peanut butter, but it ain't fooling me!After living out my first full week in Finland, I already find myself missing friends and family. It's a strange feeling to not be able to hangout with my parents and bro, meet Ado for coffee in 15mins, make a late night run to QFC with Kat, talk about life with Amy, run Greenlake with Brian, sit in the basement with Jason or make up dances with Kelly. These are little things that we take for granted when surrounded by the ones we care about most. I don't like the idea of not being able to call those close to me to just say hi and talk about nothing. So whatever you are doing right now - stop it. Call someone you care about and tell them how much they mean to you.

That's not to say my teammates here aren't great. All the girls are very outgoing and friendly. They've made me feel comfortable on and off the court by speaking English as much as they can. It's actually quite impressive, as I've only been able to master words such as kiitos (thanks), moi (hello), tyttö (girl), hyvä (nice!), yo (yes), mennään (let's roll!), allettavaa (gross!) and a couple of swear words. My favorite phrase so far is moi tyttö (hey girl)! It's not a phrase that is used over here, but I've decided once I leave Jyväskylä at least half of the population will be using it! Other than the few words I have absorbed, I don't think Finnish will become a language I will ever master. It isn't like French and English where most words have some sort of connection. My teammates admit that it is one of the toughest dialects to learn, making the language barrier an amusing thing. Mikko conducts our practices in English, but sometimes will switch over to Finnish. This leaves Charlee, Lizanne and I making confused faces at one another. When he yells at us, we can't help but laugh out loud - not understanding a thing he is saying! Mikko will catch on a few seconds later and smile while we get everything sorted out.

Practicing two times a day, lifting twice a week, while also playing 1 or 2 games every weekend keeps us busy - which is nice. If we didn't have something to do everyday I think I might go crazy in this small town. It's a great city, but it doesn't quite have the character I was dreaming of. I often thought of playing somewhere like France where I could stroll down the cobblestone streets, buy a baguette from a street vendor, while practicing my French on the city folk. Wait, does that even exist? Ha ha, maybe next year...

When not doing something related to basketball, I find myself talking to friends and family on Skype, reading, studying for my Personal Trainer Certification or downloading recent TV episodes of Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, Smallville and Dancing with the Stars. I'm normally a day behind when they air - so don't tell me what happens or who gets voted off! My teammates and I also go downtown on the weekends, where it's neat to see the different nightlife (and dancing styles - wow!)

One of the things I want to do during my time over here is travel, and I already have some tentative plans. Our team has Nov. 29 - Dec 2 off. Since Lizanne is going to visit her boyfriend in Lithuania, Charlee and I were thinking of either flying to London, Stockholm or taking a boat cruise to Estonia. Estonia you say? Well apparently it's one of the prettiest areas in all of Europe...at least that's what the locals say. Any other suggestions? We can't go too far in our short time span. I'm also planning to travel for 5 days before I fly home at Christmas. The club releases us December 17th and flies us out, giving us 2 weeks off. However, I plan to defer my ticket until the 21st and fly out of Germany. I hope to meet up with a friend in Prague and then travel to Vienna, while finally making my way to Cologne by the 20th - where I have 2 tickets to the Spice Girls concert! I know right? I mean who wouldn't want to see that concert live in Europe? ☺ The only problem is I have to find someone to go with. I have quite a few friends overseas, but most are flying home before the 20th. Any takers?

Back to basketball - we had two tough games this weekend. The first was away against Helsinki YMCA. They are the only team in Finland that doesn't have any foreign players. Instead, they have 5 Finnish national team players. After a 3.5 hour bus drive and an extremely physical game, we found ourselves 3 point victors over this veteran laden, skilled club. They are one of the better teams in our league and were not supposed to lose to us. It was a great victory, as it will help the confidence of our younger players. Since I've been fortunate enough to play quite a bit of international basketball before becoming a pro, I was prepared to face physical basketball. Refs over here let almost anything go, but Helsinki was just a dirty team. There is a difference between aggressive and dangerous. I must have been purposely elbowed in the face at least 4 times (i love you mouth guard!), shoved hard in the back almost every time when jumping for an offensive rebound, had my arms pinned down while posting up and literally being football tackled away from the ball. All without ever receiving a pity whistle from the men in stripes. Its tough to keep your cool when the European players are allowed to abuse you, but if a foreigner (read: Canadian or American) so much as breathes on a European player, its an automatic foul followed by a stern warning. Lizanne had to get stitches in her head after the game, as she received an elbow to the temple with less than 20 seconds to play...wow!

On a brighter note, we did go 2-0 this weekend and our confidence is riding high right now. My body is battered in bruised, but it was all worth it for those two W's. With the day off tomorrow and a reason for celebration, Monty (American from the men's team) and Gavin (pro volleyball player, also Canadian) came over and we all toasted our successes as professionals in this foreign land.

-BW

sidenote1: Happy Birthday Kayla and Court! (and Merry Christmas KB...lol!)
sidenote2: Nice win Dawgs! (Husky WBball and Football - BOW DOWN!)