The 8U Yellow Gladiators and the 8U Orange Gladiators thank each other Sunday for a great sport through the 51st Annual Lions Match on the Norway Financial savings Financial institution Area in Auburn. Andree Kehn/Solar Journal
AUBURN — The 51st Annual Lions Match drew generations of hockey followers over the weekend to the Norway Financial savings Financial institution Area in Auburn.
The Maine Gladiators Mites ended the season on a excessive observe — with loads of good sportsmanship and spectators — in celebration of a practice relationship again greater than half a century. The Lions Match is the longest-running youth hockey event within the nation, in line with officers.
Some athletes have been chaperoned by grandparents who performed within the event’s early days, whereas a minimum of one athlete from each staff had a dad or mum as a coach, a lot of whom additionally performed within the event, mentioned Shelly Wheeler, a member of the Maine Gladiators board.
“That’s one of the heartwarming items to this: The quantity of people that are available in with grandkids, and even these with no affiliation who say, ‘I’ve been coming to the Lions Match for 40 years,’ or ‘I performed within the very first one,’ or ‘I used to be on the Holy Cross staff again within the day,’” Wheeler mentioned. “All people is aware of the Lions Match within the hockey world, so it’s good to see the neighborhood come out and help the children.”
The ten Mites groups have been all from Maine, largely the Lewiston-Auburn space. The event additionally attracts 10-and-older groups from Augusta, Brewer, Dover-Foxcroft and different communities, together with Henniker, New Hampshire.
Coach Brian Doyle of the Maine Gladiators Purple staff goes over technique Sunday with certainly one of his skaters through the 51st Annual Lions Match on the Norway Financial savings Financial institution Area in Auburn. Andree Kehn/Solar Journal
Wheeler’s household is deeply concerned, together with her son, Curtis, who was officiating most of the video games Sunday. He started with hockey 10 years in the past, taking part in the place the Mites have been this weekend, in line with Shelly Wheeler.
“To see these youngsters give again,” she mentioned. “It’s actually enjoyable to look at it evolve into the subsequent era.”
Jeremy Henry of Lewiston was cheering for his son, Wyatt, who performs for the Gladiators Orange staff, when he shared an analogous story. Wyatt started taking part in hockey greater than 4 years in the past due to household and and the Lewiston-Auburn custom of youth hockey. Henry mentioned the sport teaches kids to develop themselves to allow them to work with others as a staff.
The Maine Gladiators 8U Yellow staff relaxes between video games Sunday because the Zamboni refreshes the ice through the 51st Annual Lions Match on the Norway Financial savings Financial institution Area in Auburn. Andree Kehn/Solar Journal
Mike Dozois, one of many Gladiators Inexperienced Group coaches, mentioned he has been teaching hockey for 17 years and remembers placing his 24-year-old son via his paces. That son is now teaching his 12-year-old daughter, Lola, who performs on the Gladiators Inexperienced staff. Dozois performed within the event again when it was on the youth heart in Lewiston.
“To maintain this factor going for all the children, to see it simply develop to this stage of pleasure, with all these followers — it’s simply wonderful,” he mentioned. “It’s an incredible atmosphere and there’s a variety of help for everybody. We’re conserving the sport of hockey alive in Lewiston-Auburn, you already know?”
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