THUNDER BAY – It’s being billed as the most epic road hockey game in history, and if last year’s inaugural event is any indication, organizers of the Staal Foundation Open might be right.
The Fountain Tire Summer Classic, scheduled to kick off festivities July 10 at the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada event, was hugely popular with participants and players last year, with youngsters getting to hit the pavement with a host of NHL stars.
Some even had the chance to be coached by the legendary Bobby Orr, who will be back in 2017 alongside fellow hall-of-famers Grant Fuhr and ex on-ice officials Kerry Fraser and Ray Scapinello.
It was a heck of a lot of fun for the players, said Jared Staal, the youngest of four hockey-playing brothers who will be back again for Year 2 of the event, all in support of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation.
“What made it so special were definitely the kids and the response they gave us right away, raising so much money. It was a chance for them to play a road hockey game with some (NHL) players and some celebrities,” Staal said, representing his family at Friday’s launch of a video contest to pick five of six participants between age 9 and 14 to play in the game.
“We had a blast last year and from the looks of it, it will be bigger and better again this year. We’re excited.”
The Team Staal video contest is already under way and encourages youngsters to show off their best hockey moves and upload it via Twitter or Instagram or via the Thunder Bay Health Sciences Foundation’s Facebook page, each time using the hashtag #TeamStaal2017.
Then it’s up to would-be participants to encourage friends and family to upvote their video, the top 20 of which will move on to Round 2, the fundraising stage.
The top three fundraisers will earn automatic roster spots, with the remaining two chosen through a random draw.
Last year entrants raised more than $44,000.
Staal Foundation Open tournament director Scott Smith said the success of last year’s game caught organizers off guard, despite the threat of rain.
“It was very well attended and everybody that came out was really happy with what went on – especially the celebrities who were there, all the NHL players, like Bobby Orr. He had some much fund and said it was probably one of the best events he’s attended.”
TSN celebrity announcers Geno Reda and Thunder Bay’s own Glenn Schiiler, will provide the play-by-play for a second straight year.
To see the full rules of the contest, visit www.staalopen.ca/teamstaal.
