Members of Team USA Junior, Open, and Masters Ice Hockey Teams,
I hope this letter finds you all doing well and that you're getting excited about your upcoming trip to Israel and the 19th Maccabiah Games. As some of you know, I've been here in Israel for the past couple of months working in the Maccabiah Sports Department helping to prepare for the upcoming Games. While I'm working with all of the sports here, my primary focus has been on the Maccabiah hockey tournament. During the Games, I'll be serving as the tournament coordinator and while my heart is always red, white and blue, you'll have to forgive the neutrality that is required in this role.
I'm happy to report that preparations are coming along very well for the tournament. I was in Metula today for another visit and was excited to see the progress at the Canada Center. They recently installed new boards and glass and will be laying the ice down over the next several days. The people in Metula are thrilled to have hockey back in the Games for the first time since 1997 and are eagerly awaiting your arrival.
Playing ice hockey in the 1997 Maccabiah was one of the most important experiences of my life. It inspired me to take a leadership role with Maccabi USA during the 2001, 2005, and 2009 Games and helped forge what I know will be a life-long connection to Israel. I won't predict what the Maccabiah experience will mean to each of you, but I can promise that it will be unlike any other athletic or cultural experience you've ever had. Lacing up your skates on a team full of fellow Jews, at the world's third largest international sporting event, in the ancient home of our people isn't something that happens every day. I hope you'll cherish this experience and take full advantage of what lies ahead.
In this spirit, I thought it might be helpful to pass along a few tips that I've learned from my participation in several Maccabiah programs over the years. I hope these will help you to have the best possible experience here in Israel.
I hope this letter finds you all doing well and that you're getting excited about your upcoming trip to Israel and the 19th Maccabiah Games. As some of you know, I've been here in Israel for the past couple of months working in the Maccabiah Sports Department helping to prepare for the upcoming Games. While I'm working with all of the sports here, my primary focus has been on the Maccabiah hockey tournament. During the Games, I'll be serving as the tournament coordinator and while my heart is always red, white and blue, you'll have to forgive the neutrality that is required in this role.
I'm happy to report that preparations are coming along very well for the tournament. I was in Metula today for another visit and was excited to see the progress at the Canada Center. They recently installed new boards and glass and will be laying the ice down over the next several days. The people in Metula are thrilled to have hockey back in the Games for the first time since 1997 and are eagerly awaiting your arrival.
Playing ice hockey in the 1997 Maccabiah was one of the most important experiences of my life. It inspired me to take a leadership role with Maccabi USA during the 2001, 2005, and 2009 Games and helped forge what I know will be a life-long connection to Israel. I won't predict what the Maccabiah experience will mean to each of you, but I can promise that it will be unlike any other athletic or cultural experience you've ever had. Lacing up your skates on a team full of fellow Jews, at the world's third largest international sporting event, in the ancient home of our people isn't something that happens every day. I hope you'll cherish this experience and take full advantage of what lies ahead.
In this spirit, I thought it might be helpful to pass along a few tips that I've learned from my participation in several Maccabiah programs over the years. I hope these will help you to have the best possible experience here in Israel.
·
Take care of yourself physically prior to and
during the Maccabiah. The combination of travel, long-days, hot weather,
different food, training and competition is challenging no matter how fit you
are. Be sure you come into the program well rested and get as much sleep
as possible while you're here. You all know how important hydration
is....you'll be told it a million times, but I've seen many US athletes become
dehydrated here and it is very unpleasant.
·
Be prepared that not everything will go
perfectly. Organizing an international sporting event with 9,000 plus
athletes is a monumental task, particularly in a country like Israel that lacks
the volume of high-quality athletic facilities that we enjoy in the
U.S. There will be buses that are late, the food might not always
be exactly what you want, the locker rooms aren't the best, and the officials
will miss a call here or there. Take it all in stride and your experience
(and the experience of those around you) will be far more pleasant.
·
Take full advantage of the amazing cultural and
non-athletic opportunities that will be provided. Everyone wants to win a
gold medal , but this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many of you and
it's about much more than just athletic competition.
·
Finally, I hope you'll take some time to follow
the link below to a special 20 minute documentary that aired nationally in
Canada the other day on TSN (their ESPN). It's a story about a unique
hockey program that is housed at the Canada Center in Metula. While it
doesn't deal directly with the Maccabiah, it does provide a context for the
location and environment in which our historic hockey tournament will take
place. You'll see images of some of the fighting that has taken place
over the years. Fortunately for us, and everyone in and around Metula,
the border with Lebanon has been quiet for the past several years.
http://video.tsn.ca/?dl=pipe42/latest/1/0/953997/clip/0
As always, feel free to be in touch if I can help answer any questions that you might have prior to your arrival. I look forward to seeing you all in Israel and to sharing this amazing experience with each of you.
Wishing you all the best.
Jeff Schulman
Ice Hockey Coordinator -- 19th Maccabiah Games
p.s. Here are links to the hockey schedule for the Games and for the hockey regulations that will govern the competition.
http://maccabiah.com/Data/Uploads/gamesschedule7.pdf
http://www.maccabiah.com/Data/Uploads/Ice%20Hockey.pdf
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