Kenya’s Only Ice Hockey Team
Kenya’s first and best ice hockey group is helping to grow interested in the sport for a new technology of players. The Kenya Ice Lions teach at a minimum of three instances per week on the Panari Sky Center in Nairobi. It is one of the few ice rinks in Japanese and principal Africa. Tim Colby moved to Nairobi in 2010 to paintings for the Canadian embassy. Several months later, he located himself supporting to educate and lead Kenya’s first-ever ice hockey group. “Years ago, among the Kenyans wanted to take it up…play plenty greater significantly, appeal to more people and get into actual hockey games. So we took it up with a few different Americans, Canadians, Slovaks, Swedes, and others. We started out assisting out a piece, but quickly it didn’t take long for the Kenyans to take it throughout themselves…” The Ice Lions have in no way had any other team to play. But in 2018, the Canadian restaurant business enterprise Tim Hortons flew 12 of the group contributors to Toronto to play their first actual recreation. It became a staunch opposition in opposition to a group of firefighters. Eighteen-year vintage Gideon Mutua becomes part of the crew. He started as a velocity and curler skater in 2012.
He says ice hockey has changed his life all the time. “My largest dream is to play inside the NHL, wherein you get paid to play. And in the future, I think my dream can be fulfilled,” Mutua stated. Robert Opiyo is one of the first Ice Lions’ groups participants. He says young gamers like Mutua are the future of Kenyan hockey. He said, “Most of us were quite senior, but the future truly lies with the kids. This is wherein, most of the time, the electricity and effort are being invested. For us, we are simply taking in all of the pain, the hardships, the rigors that will have it plenty…simpler.” Tim Colby believes there may be destiny for ice hockey in Kenya.
“This was about 10, 12 Kenyans playing. Now we are as much as round 30. At least half of them are younger. And when I say young, I suggest beneath 15, that is without a doubt appropriate for the sport inside the destiny…” Alibaba from China and Canada’s Tim Hortons have both given economic guide and devices to the Ice Lions. Support for the crew has also come from Finland, Sweden, and the Czech Republic. There are plans to herald groups from Tunisia, Egypt, and South Africa for a match in July. The teams will play for a new prize, known as the Africa Cup.
