Team Italia Reignites Hockey Passion

Lisa Kaczmarek (Richmond, BC) and Ashley McKerral (Sudbury, ON) didn’t exactly know what they were getting into when they agreed to play for a team in the Molson CARHA Hockey World Cup presented by Lulu Island Winery. Lisa, a local Richmond resident and Ashley, who made the drive to Richmond from Revelstoke BC, strapped on their skates and joined team Italia this week after the Italian side had to do some last minute recruiting.

When asked to describe her experience in one word, Lisa responded with “favolosa” meaning “fabulous” in Italian. “This was absolutely an unexpected once in a lifetime experience. The Italians made us feel we were part of the team, and these memories will last forever”, she continued.

For Ashley, who originally thought she was joining a women’s team until she was sent the team photo a few days before the tournament, she mentioned “this experience brought back my passion for hockey. The Italians were so community-based and nice. We were told we will always have a place to stay if we ever visit. This is what hockey’s all about, meeting people and making new friends.”

#TheCup2023 is all about making memories, friendships and sharing our love for the game. It’s safe to say this week won’t be one that Lisa, Ashley or Team Italia forget anytime soon.