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Wleocome to Verdun

Instructional Play Save by Verdun	PeeWee A Goaltender Sean Morris exchanges a gift at Center Ice with his Verdun Counterpart	Mark McKinnon of the PeeWee A's really did score a goal!  Really!	PeeWee A -Verdun A Team Picture
Squirt B's after a victory	Joe DiOrio and Greg Porcaro getting ready for the PeeWee A's	Fans came in all sizes and were very supportive	Player of the Game Award was a nice touch

2002-2003 was another successful season for the Melrose Youth Hockey Program. The pinnacle event once again was our Cultural Exchange Weekend Tournament versus Verdun Montreal. On the morning of February 28th over 400 players, parents, and friends traveled to Verdun for a fun filled weekend of hockey and friendship with our neighbors of the north. This season the Annual "Friendship Cup" was awarded to the Melrose Program for its excellence in the weekend tournament but the real winners were the children in both programs who got to make new friends and share the bond of cultural sportsmanship with each other both on and off the ice. Thanks goes out to the many proud parents and siblings who cheered endlessly from the stands for both programs throughout the weekend and represented Melrose with class.
 
Melrose families on seven busses arrived in Verdun on Friday afternoon. Some of the Melrose folks took in a Junior A Hockey Game that was scheduled at our Tournament Rink that evening while others chose to relax in our Delta Centerville Hotel in downtown Montreal or go shopping at the underground malls. In keeping with the tradition some players stayed as guests in the homes of a sponsored Canadian families. On Saturday a heavy game schedule kept the families busy with shuttle busses moving from the Hotel to the Rink each hour. Prior to each game the Verdun and Melrose teams presented hats and pins with program logos to one another. The traditional handshakes followed. The annual Coaches game was held at days end with a nice pregame color guard and National Anthem for both Countries. The game ended in a 3-3 deadlock and the camaraderie at the Verdun Social Club following the coaches game brought out even more spirits.

Melrose Youth Hockey is proud that our Instructional Levels right through Bantam all had the chance to participate in this season's event and we look forward to having the Verdun Youth Hockey Association come to Melrose next season to continue this tradition that spans over 25 years. The Melrose Youth Hockey Verdun Committee really deserves congratulations from the body for a good job well done. Congratulations to our players and coaches for their great efforts on the ice during the weekend.

Bill Allan and our Webmaster Dave @ Icehog.com did a great job in a new era of Melrose Youth Hockey…running a project of this size by using our website versus printing thousands of handouts and the distribution headaches with that.

Bill and Dave @ Icehog.com - thanks for the quick postings and being our info center for this project.

Lastly, I want to thank a few people for the many hours dedicated to arrange this weekend for us.

First, Hugh Mackenzie and Jeannie Steele for hours of phone calls and hours spent in the coach’s room at the Flynn pouring over lists upon lists compiling all the information for the bus and hotel plans. Every time a bump popped up, these two “just got it done”. Amazing people doing amazing things. Thanks guys.

Joanne Fimiani and Cindy Rapucci. Thank you for your input in making the plans that we have made. You were a great sounding board and it was nice to have you both in the wings should this all hit the fan. You’re the best.

Rich Ford. Rich served as our trip historian. Rich, you were great with all the forms and paperwork and always there when we reached out…thank you.

Big thanks to Ken Murphy for securing parking for us. When you think about it, this parking deal makes life so much easier for all of us.

Bill Allan did a great job in a new era of Melrose Youth Hockey…running a project of this size by using the web versus printing thousands of handouts and the distribution headaches with that. Bill, thanks for the quick postings and being our info guru for this project.

Our thanks go out to Joe Adams who patiently waited for us to say we needed something and Joe stepped up and quickly addressed the needs (money). Joe thanks for your help.

Special thanks to Rob Rappucci of the Pro Shop at Flynn Rink and the Malden Rink. Rob did a great job in having our exchange gifts (hats) made quickly and delivered in time for our trip. The hats look great and Rob, we appreciate your helping us with this order.

Team Managers…you have been a great help to us in communicating to the families and your efforts picking up the slack where possible were appreciated.

Note to MYH families.

Please make a point of saying thanks to any of these friends mentioned above for their efforts in making the Verdun trip a fun trip for us all. Although not trained as travel agents, these folks turned themselves into pretzels bending over backwards to meet the needs of everyone whenever possible. GREAT JOB GANG!

I don’t think any of the Verdun Committee will be in the hotel bar this weekend but if you see them…buy em’ a drink to say “nice job”!

Let’s Have Some FUN!

Thanks

Chris Palmer

 

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