Local Youth Make Canadian Stocksport History in Austria
Four young athletes from South Frontenac made Canadian sporting history this summer when they travelled to Austria to represent the Canadian Ice Stock Federation at the U16 European Stocksport Championships in Oberwart.
The Canadian team consisted of Lucas Hammer, Caleb Hammer and Preston Klein of Sydenham High School and Jayden Kermeen of Frontenac Secondary School. The team was coached by Chris Hammer, with Adam Klein serving as team manager and trainer.
The four athletes, all members of the South Frontenac Stocksport Club (SFSC), became the first Canadian youth team to compete internationally in the sport “Stock Sport”.
For a group of young Canadians accustomed to practising on the lanes in South Frontenac, the experience provided an opportunity not only to compete against some of the world's strongest young Stocksport athletes, but also to experience the Austrian culture and traditions surrounding the sport.
The Canadian contingent arrived in Graz on August 3 and began their Austrian experience by meeting Johann Eibinger, an Austrian Stocksport coach who supported the Canadians and helped with pre-tournament coaching and support at his club.
Johann led the Canadians through their first Austrian practice, providing technical instruction and advice as they prepared to compete against athletes who have grown up surrounded by the sport. A second practice brought one of the more memorable moments of the trip when the Canadians played against Johann's young Austrian team. Despite the Austrian athletes being considerably younger, the Canadians quickly discovered just how developed the sport is at the youth level in Austria.
Following their final practice, Team Canada travelled to Oberwart and got its first look at the facility that would host the U16 European Championships.
Preston Klein and Lucas Hammer represented Canada in the individual target competition. Klein opened with a score of 172, setting a new personal best for a double round. Klein's performance was strong enough to advance him to the next round, where he faced one of Austria's young competitors.
The difference between participating in a developing Canadian sport and facing athletes from one of the world's Stocksport powers quickly became apparent. As the Canadian athletes later described the experience, competing against the Austrians felt like “playing against professionals.”
The Canadian team later competed in the U16 Team Target event, producing one of the highlights of the entire trip. Against some of Europe's established Stocksport nations, the four Canadians finished fourth overall. For Canada's first youth team to compete internationally, the result represented an impressive beginning and demonstrated how far the youth program in South Frontenac has developed in a relatively short period of time.
While results mattered, some of the most meaningful moments happened away from the scoreboard. The Canadian and French athletes quickly developed friendships, while the final evening of the championships provided an opportunity for the young competitors from the different countries to socialize together. A local band performed as athletes, coaches and families celebrated the conclusion of the event as part of the closing ceremonies.
For the Canadian athletes, the experience reinforced that international sport can be about considerably more than medals. The team described the experience as “one of the best experiences of their life” and hoped to return to Austria to compete again and reconnect with many of the young people the Canadians met during the championships.
Stocksport has deep roots in Austria and other parts of Europe, where young athletes have opportunities to begin playing and competing at an early age. In Canada, the sport remains relatively small, but the South Frontenac Stocksport Club has made youth development a major priority. The opportunity for four local athletes to travel from South Frontenac to Austria and compete on an international stage represents an important milestone in that development.
The trip was also made possible through the support of families, community organizations, sponsors and fundraising efforts that helped the young athletes take advantage of an opportunity that would otherwise have been difficult to achieve. The athletes are grateful and appreciative of everyone who helped make the journey possible. ■
