Q&A with World Cup Participant Mukhtar

Mukhtar has participated in both the 2012 CARHA Hockey World Cup in Sault Ste. Marie and in the 2016 CARHA Hockey World Cup in Windsor, ON with two different teams. He discusses the benefits of participating in international sports competitions and of sharing the experience with players from all over the world. 

Which CARHA Hockey World Cup(s) have you participated in?

- 2012 CARHA Hockey World Cup in Sault Ste. Marie, ON with the HC Zholbarys team in the 45+ division among professionals.

- 2016 CARHA Hockey World Cup in Windsor, ON with HK Salem in the 50+ division among amateurs.

What other International Tournaments have you participated in?

- 2017 European Amateur Hockey League Championship in Helinski, Finland with HK Salem in the 50+ division.

- 2018 European Amateur Hockey League Championship in Fussen, Germany with HC Salem in the 40+ division.

Did you form any lasting friendships during your time participating in the CARHA Hockey World Cup?

In the first championship, we had players from Sault Ste. Marie play with us. We also had one player from Sweden and became friends with Paul MacPherson who played goalie for us. In 2016, our team was joined by new players Randi Conti, Jeff Clarinda, Conrad Bobiwash, Jerry Bass, Paul Talbot, Dennis Maurice and Keith Neveau. Many of these friends we met will also be joining us on our team at the CARHA Hockey World Cup in 2022!

What was your favourite CARHA Hockey World Cup moment?

The best moments of the tournament would be meeting and making new friends with other participants and, of course, participating in the games!

What advice would you give for players competing in the 2022 CARHA Hockey World Cup in Richmond, BC?

To all players who have participated in the tournament before and for those who are participating for the first time in 2022, I advise you to reach out and encourage the hockey players in your communities to participate in this tournament. Playing in the CARHA Hockey World Cup is more than just a sports competition, it is an opportunity to meet and communicate with people from different countries around the world. Every four years, a new city in Canada hosts the tournament for people all over the world to visit. Thank you to the organizers of the CARHA Hockey World Cup and the volunteers who make us feel at home in Canada.

What was your favourite part about visiting the Host City?

Windsor is a “Canadian Las Vegas”. The city is fun and bustling, where life is in full swing until the morning, but also has all the necessary sport facilities to host a great tournament! The city is bordered by the American city of Detroit, where we were able to watch the Detroit Red Wings beat the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 3-0.

Did you try any “Canadian Foods” (BeaverTails, Poutine, Canadian Bacon, Tim Hortons Coffee, etc.,) and if so, what are your thoughts?

Yes, we liked the variety of foods offered in Canada. We visited a lot of various restaurants and cafes where everything was very tasty and appetizing. The team liked Budweiser beer at our first World Cup and enjoyed Molson Canadian and Canadian whiskey at our second World Cup appearance.