While many new arrivals to Canada go out of their way to learn about their new home, few jump immediately to buying a helmet and strapping on a pair of skates.
Gihad Abdelhamid and his family moved to Canada from Egypt two years ago.
Soon after settling in, the self-professed travel bug began looking for ways to get to know his new country, including introducing his family to new holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving and Canada Day.
“We’re trying to get out more and get to know more about the country and the people and get to be more integrated, basically.”
He also signed his children up for local soccer teams, inadvertently setting him on a surprising path.
“One of my friends at work … asked me to coach the soccer team for my son. Then I went and coached both teams – my son’s and my daughter’s – and I found it a good idea actually to start to participate a little more rather than just sit and watch outside.”
“I’m not here to close the door on myself and my kids and stay inside – I can do that in Egypt, I don’t have to come here to do it,” he said.
“And if hockey is the biggest thing in Canada, then I have to learn about it. There’s no better way than to just dive into it.”
Coaching career starts on thin ice
When Abdelhamid applied as assistant coach for his son’s hockey team The Eliminators, he didn’t think much of his chances.
“I didn’t know about hockey – I didn’t know nothing,” he said. “All the information that I got about hockey was after I came here, so it’s all fresh, it’s all new.”
But to his surprise he was hired, even though he didn’t know how to skate – something he quickly worked to remedy.
Abdelhamid helps lead The Eliminators through their drills, learning to skate and shoot alongside his son, who is on the team. (Travis McEwan/CBC)
“The first time, I showed up without equipment – I had my skates only – so they didn’t let me in,” he remembered.
By the next practise, he had bought himself a helmet and borrowed a stick and gloves.
“[Now], I can skate, but it’s in one direction,” he said. “Actually I’m starting to learn moving backwards on the ice with the kids here.”
Hockey as a Canadian community
For Abdelhamid, skating alongside his son is only one of the perks of coaching.
“It’s being part of what my kids are doing … and at the same time, I want to try new things as well,” he said, adding it’s important to him to feel he’s being a productive part of a community.
He and hockey had a bit of a slow start, however, he admits.
“The first time I watched a hockey game, [I thought] the goal is too small and … I called it the ball at that time, but learned later it’s called a puck,” he said. “So it took me some time to start to understand what’s happening.”
“It’s like growing up as a kid on the outdoor rink – anybody who throws their stick in is in for a game,” said Abdelhamid’s fellow coach Chris Wright. (Travis McEwan/CBC)
But once he got on the ice, the game and its appeal started to make much more sense.
“It’s a very physical game. Kids get to train and exercise and have fun at the same time, and it is a very exciting game so being able to see it that close makes you feel more excitement and understand the game better.”
Abdelhamid said his fellow coaches have been “amazing” to work with, and are patient with his developing skating skills.
“They are very good at making me feel I am useful,” he said modestly.
But assistant coach Chris Wright says Abdelhamid is selling himself short.
“Gihad’s a tremendous coach. He understands sports, he’s got great ideas, he’s passionate about kids and he just makes it a ton of fun.”
At the end of the day, Wright said his fellow coach’s rookie skating skills matter far less than the lesson players are learning by seeing Abdelhamid show up and help out everyday, making a huge effort to polish his skills along the way.
“It’s like growing up as a kid on the outdoor rink – anybody who throws their stick in is in for a game.”
Source:: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/new-canadian-hits-the-ice-as-hockey-coach-1.2813763?cmp=rss
