Some fifteen players from the hockey program at Châteauguay’s Howard S. Billings High School will be travelling to Ireland to meet the country’s U18 national team from May 4th to 11th, 2024.
Translation Amanda Bennett
The young athletes and their head coach, Scott Colosimo, will spend their stay in three cities: Dublin, Kilkenny and Belfast.
During their trip, they will be practising and playing in a mini-tournament with Ireland’s U18 team at the Dundonald International Ice Bowl in Belfast on May 10th. The Châteauguay students will also have the opportunity to discover the local culture.
« This trip will give our youngsters the chance to discover international hockey and spend time with the players from Ireland’s U18 team. During the friendly tournament, other teams may join us, » says the father of one of the Billings team players, Pierre-Patrick Mallette, known in Châteauguay by his initials « P.P. ».
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Pierre-Patrick Mallette (left) and his son Zachary-Karl Mallette, Howard S. Billings defenseman, (right) with sponsored jerseys during the game against Collège Notre-Dame in Kahnawake on October 15th. (photo : Courtesy)
The hockey teams from Châteauguay’s Howard S. Billings high school hosted Ireland’s U18 national team for a friendly tournament in Kahnawake on November 4th, 2022.
One or two of the Châteauguay players’ parents would like to join them on the trip to Ireland, » says Mr. Mallette, who will be travelling with the team.
Fundraising
Pierre-Patrick Mallette explained that the team needed to raise $30,000 to finance the trip, and was able to do so thanks to a sponsored game against Collège Notre-Dame at the Kahnawake Sportplex on October 15th.
During the game, the Billings players wore jerseys bearing the names of a number of sponsors, including the City of Châteauguay and the riding’s MNA, Marie-Belle Gendron.
Other fund-raising activities will be taking place right up to the start of the tournament, including a number of purchases for the youngsters and a trip for their parents.