The Kingswood Oxford varsity hockey team took the ice on Friday, Jan. 5, against Greenwich Country Day School in their annual Hockey Night game. The Wyverns were able to skate to a victory, dominating 6-3, and while the victory was certainly special, Hockey Night means so much more than the wins and the losses.
One important aspect of Hockey Night is its work to help fund Team Tobati, the annual trip students take to Tobati, Paraguay over spring break. Team Tobati was founded two years prior to the first Hockey Night in 2000. On this first trip, then boys hockey Head Coach John Reilly was able to attend the trip. Coach Reilly and Spanish teacher Ronald Garcia worked together to plan how Hockey Night could provide funds for the trip. Throughout Hockey Night’s entire existence, more than $75,000 has been raised for Team Tobati.
Hockey Night honors former Kingswood Oxford student and hockey team manager Ryan Gordon ’05. Born with VATER syndrome, a collection of defects that impact the esophagus, Ryan persevered through his health issues and especially enjoyed managing the hockey team throughout his time at KO. Sadly, Ryan passed away in 2006. The Hockey Night tradition honors his legacy and Ryan’s Circle of Giving, an organization that now provides a full scholarship to a Team Tobati member who otherwise could not attend. Mr. Garcia expressed how much Ryan loved hockey, which evoked the importance of the game and brought the name along with it.
Hockey Night collects funds for Team Tobati through the purchasing of Hockey Night shirts, concessions, and tickets. Hockey Night shirts are sold prior to the game, and students have the opportunity to buy a shirt to get free admission into the game and a dress-down day. For this season, 260 shirts were purchased at a set price of $25. In total, $6,500 was raised for the trip to Paraguay off shirts alone.
Team Tobati is an amazing opportunity for students to give to communities in need, and Hockey Night is significant in making the trip possible. On the trip, students take part in various community projects as well as get to know the Paraguayan students through activities such as soccer games and traditional Paraguayan dances.
Along with Team Tobati, Hockey Night provided an opportunity for the Kingswood Oxford community to come together and support their classmates on the rink. The Hockey Night game is the season highlight for many players similar to the KITs for basketball, the Dig Pink game for Volleyball, and Hewett Day for fall sports teams. Due to the fact that everyone is playing a sport at Kingswood Oxford, it is very rare to see a large crowd like Hockey Night does.
Sophomore center Co-captain Ryan Munz expressed how much it means for him to have his classmates in the crowd. “My favorite part about the Hockey Night experience would definitely be being able to play in front of my classmates, friends, and teachers, and winning in front of the large crowd,” he said.
During the game, fans had an opportunity to participate in different contests. These included a shooting contest and the chuck-a-puck. There are also alumni raffle draws to win KO swag or gift certificates and a free skate following the game. These opportunities for the fans to partake in the special night brought the Kingswood Oxford community together.
For the players, the night was about showing off all that they had practiced for and a way for the entire KO community to honor the legacy of Ryan Gordon and cheer on the KO community.
