It all started with an email and ended with a young hockey player representing Canada against teams from Europe in the Czech Challenge Cup this summer in Prague, Czech Republic.
This winter, 12-year-old Arcola-Kisbey Combines' defenceman Mason Johnston spotted a poster in his local rink inviting players to try out for the Canada Cowboys, a Triple A hockey team made up of some of the best players in the country.
"We were surprised when they phoned us," says Mason's mother, Carrie. "Mason was really persistent in pursuing this, but there is lots of competition and lots of good players across Canada."
"They had me email them a game schedule," says Mason. "I knew [the scout] was coming, but there was a snowstorm, so we weren't sure where or which game. I'm thinking maybe it was a game in Carnduff. Once I knew I was playing for the team, time seemed to go by so slowly this winter. It seemed like forever. But July went really fast."
After a week of "pretty hard playing" in Calgary, Mason says that the team made up mostly of players from Western Canada, "was really good."
Carrie says that the team had to bond and perform as a team within a short period of time. Although their European tour was July 27-Aug.10, "Our first week in Germany, they toured together as a team. After that, they had one practice in Italy, and that was it, before the tournament."
Mason says that the hockey was "way more challenging. You couldn't slack off on one shift. All of the countries were pretty aggressive and were trying to hit you. There was lots of body contact for everybody."
"But they weren't that bad. All of the teams were pretty friendly [off the ice]. After some of the games, we got a chance to trade jerseys. I have one from Sweden and one from the Czech Republic."
"We all had lots of the same equipment," says Mason. "Lots of Bauer and Reebok. But there were some different sticks."
Carrie, who along with her husband Jeremy accompanied their son on the tour says, "In Prague, the organizers actually put on a party at a really nice hotel where the kids could exchange souvenirs and meet. The other kids were really nice."
"A lot of the kids from Canada brought cowboy hats, and they're big on cowboy hats there. They also liked jerseys and basically, anything with a Canadian flag on it."
Mason says that both representing Canada and touring Europe was "amazing. The castles and churches in Austria and Germany, they're really cool."
"But the best thing is the hockey. It was more fun with the body contact. I'm looking forward to hockey season again. I learned a lot of stuff."
"I'd like to try out again, for the AAA team from Saskatchewan."
