July 29 Update ... depature

Well, the instructors are in the lobby with all of our bags where we are anxiously awaiting the bus. The host families will be bringing our boys to the hotel to meet up with us. After a few final goodbyes, we will head off to the rink to pick up hockey gear. Then, off to the airport for our departure to Warsaw! Our lay over in Warsaw isn't as long as last time - I think only 2 hours.

I really enjoyed meeting your boys during our stay here. They are all great boys! I believe this trip will have a positive and lasting impact on them.

I plan to leave the blog and photos up for quite some time.

Cheers!

July 28th Update.......

Sorry for the delayed post! Friday was a very busy day - cup games, many goodbyes, meeting with Mr. Naumov, and farewell 'thank you' dinner.



Northern Edge Cup Games

Two Northern Edge Cup games were played on Friday - one for each respective age group. Like last week, both games were very close with lots of scoring! The draft had a magical way of equalizing talent which kept the games close until the end. All the boys played extremely hard so everyone should be considered a winner! It was interesting to see how the bonds made between the Belarusian and North American kids gelled in this final session of ice. By this point, they had learned to communicate - maybe with words, maybe with hand gestures, or maybe with smiles. Emotions ran very high, even for the instructors, as for most of us knew this was the last time we would we see many of these boys. After the game, folks hung around the rink for pictures and presented gifts to each other. I don't think the boys (and parents) wanted to say goodbye to the instructors. All the parents expressed gratitude to Todd and Northern Edge. The boys left as better hockey players and also as better kids. Many friendships were made and the cultural experiences shared will last a lifetime. Hopefully, we will recognize some of the last names on the back of NHL or other professional jerseys in the future!

Sorry, Mark! Coach Mark was going for a Northern Cup record for wins - up until the last game, he was 3-0. A final win would have put him in the Northern Edge coaches hall of fame with a record of 4-0! Unfortunately, Coach Brad spoiled Mark's hopes with some razzle dazzle plays.

Meeting with Mr. Naumov



The Northern Edge team was invited to meet with Mr. Naumov, Minister of Internal Affairs, late Friday afternoon. Mr. Naumov was interested in hearing our thoughts about how the camps went and whether Northern Edge was interested in coming back. Todd provided his thoughts as to how to make this great camp even better. According to Mr. Naumov, word is getting out to neighboring nations. They want to know how they can participate in this exchange program or whether the program can be expanded into their respective countries. This is another testimony to the great efforts of Todd and all of Northern Edge.

Dinner with the Hockey Federation...



We had about a 20 minute turn time between our meeting with Mr. Naumov and meeting for dinner with representatives from the Hockey Federation. We went to a brewpub and had a great BBQ dinner. Gifts were presented to Slava and Arthur, two of the key people responsible for the logistics of our trip. Constance and Alina were also present. Both were more than helpful during our stay and were thanked earlier in the day at the rink.

Logan and Nick moved to Vladimir Tsyplakov's house yesterday since Arthur and his family had to catch a flight to the United States (how cool is that - to stay with a former NHL'er and all around great guy!). Arthur will be participating in a Northern Edge camp in St. Louis. Denis (from the older group) will also be participating in this camp but his parents remained here so Eddie and Phil are still with their host family. Arthur and Denis will be staying with Phil and his family for the week. After getting to know Phil, I know they will be well taken care of!

Saturday, we will go to the rink to pack up the boys' hockey gear and then we will take it to the Hockey Federation building. Saturday night, we will have a final farewell dinner with the families and children. We are looking forward to this gathering.

Sunday, we will meet the boys at the Hockey Federation building and say our goodbyes to the host families. I'm sure this will be an emotional event given how well the boys have gotten along with their families. Everyone has been so kind and generous.

July 26th Update.......

Draft Day today!

The draft results are in for the Northern Edge Cup teams! Like last week, our Belarusian brothers stole the show. A few trades were made and the final rosters were inked. The boys scrimmaged a while today and it looks like we are going to have great Cup games tomorrow.

Poor Nick - he was 'chosen' last this week. Of course this didn't dampen his smile! I think he was the one of first North Americans to get drafted last week! I guess the talent is just that much better this time around.



Ed was elated today - he was not picked last again. He was picked second-to-last! Like Nick, this didn't dampen his spirits!

[In all fairness to our boys, it was decided that the Belarusian boys would be selected first since we are their guests - has nothing to do with the talent of our boys.]



212 Award- turning it up the extra degree



Congratulations to Patrick - he is the only North American boy to win the '212' award! This award is given at the end of each day to the boy who put forth exemplary efforts both on and off the ice. The following day, he gets to wear the special blue jersey and gets honored by his fellow campers during a solo lap skate. Good job Patrick!!

Yunost Practice

Todd lead the practice with the Yunost farm team today. It went well!! Kudu's to Todd. Tim looked sharp, too!

The boys are resting this evening in preparation for the Northern Edge Cup games tomorrow.

To view photos from the day, click here Pictures

July 25th Update

Draft Day Tomorrow!
Like last week, the highlight of Thursday will be "the draft". The instructors do such a great job getting the kids pumped up for Friday's Northern Edge Cup game. They take this game very seriously and will have their best game faces on when they arrive Friday morning. It's really fun to watch how the kids react when the draft is complete and the teams are set. It's nice to see the Canadian, American, and Belarusian kids working together to build their teams.

"Yunost Minsk" practice...

Todd's hard efforts and talent have been recognized by the local Yunost Minsk farm team. He has been asked to run their practice tomorrow. Tim Velemirovich will be skating out with the team.

Departure preplanning...



This week is going really well. The friendships that are being built will be lasting and the exchange in culture has had a phenomenal impact on the instructors, our boys, the belarusians kids, and the host families alike. Emotions are beginning to run high as we see the end in sight. Just this morning, Todd spoke with our boys about getting ready for our departure. The Belarusians have been generous and gracious hosts. Many thanks to them and the BIHF!

T-MAC: If you read this, know that you are missed!! The usual gamut of antics continue daily! Feel free to comment and let us know how you are doing!!

To view photos from the day, click here Pictures

Press coverage continues this week! The President's game was Nationally televised LIVE! Curt Fraser continues to make front page newspaper coverage (should see the picture they used!), and the instructors and children continue to be featured for interviews for both print and TV. Everyone in town knows we are here!

New video clips are posted above!

A special "HELLO" goes out to Jesse and Casey's Grandparents in British Columbia!!

Tonight, our boys are either shopping, going to a BBQ, going to a birthday party, or simply chilling out.

Cheers!

July 24th Update............

After all the pomp and circumstance of last night’s game, it was nice to get back to a regular day of camp. The boys were all lit up when they arrived today. We had a good day of drills both on the ice and off.

Per the request of Mr. Naumov, Curt Fraser provided a coaches clinic this evening for coaches from Minsk, Brest, Groduo, Mogilev, and Gomel. Curt enlisted the help of Vladimir Tsyplakov who happens to know a bit about hockey!! Curt’s presentation dealt with preseason preparation, practice plan development, and D-zone coverage. Vladimir provided insight on penalty killing. Feedback was positive from the Belarus coaches that were in attendance. Last week, Curt Fraser, Todd McLellan and Mark Jorgenson performed a similar clinic.

After the hard day yesterday, the instructors were glad to have a night off to rest and relax. The boys skated very hard today and were glad to have an easy night with their host families.

To view photos from the day, click here Pictures



Instructor's input to the blog...
Since today was an easy day to ‘blog’, I thought I’d turn the keyboard over to some of the instructors:

Todd Woodcroft – I am really looking forward to joining all the players in Minsk. I have heard they are having a good time and are almost through the customs line.

Seriously, this has been more than I could have imagined: the people here are so passionate about the game, and our players & instructors are being treated like kings. I hope the boys appreciate all the work that the BIHF has put into this experience! Great ten days so far and even though I am leaving later today (no one knows), I hope everyone has a safe trip back to Cleveland where we will meet all the parents.

In the lingo of our players: “Big ups to the coaches: they is aiite.” Peace out. P.S: has anyone seen Curt Leich yet? I checked him with my bags in Warsaw and haven’t seen him yet.

Curt Leich- I have been having a great vacation in Warsaw. I have been staying at a local hostel and am now engaged with a beautiful girl named Ayinka. I can’t wait for the rest of the guys to arrive and meet the (PIHS) Polish Ice Hockey Federation. Camp is going to be a lot of fun on this upcoming Monday.

Steve Walters (a.k.a. Ayinka), All of the boys have been great at interacting with the guys from Belarus. It is very fun to watch how close the group from Canada and the United States have become. The older guys have taken the younger guys under their wings. You would be very proud of each of your children.

July 23rd Update ..... President's Game & New Camp

President's Game....

Probably the highest honor ever bestowed on Northern Edge to date occurred this evening. The Northern Edge Instructors played the Belarusian President's hockey team. Planning for the game began last week - and so did the nerves! Since we didn't have enough instructors to make up a full roster, we recruited members from the Hockey Federation as well as several of the boys from camp. Todd Woodcroft decided to pick the oldest North American boy from each respective age group. This meant Eddie and Blake got drafted. In addition, Jesse and Casey, Curt Fraser's two sons, joined the squad as did two Belarusian boys. Blake was named captain of the team!

In contrast to our team (which had never played together before), The President's Team is primarily made up of ex-professional players that play together at least once a week. Vladimir Tsylplakov, whom I have mentioned in previous posts for helping with the camp, is on the President's Team. I tried unsuccessfully last week to convince him to play on our team instead (recall his son is in the camp).

I was tagged to be the coach of our team - primarily so I could take pictures from the bench. Before the game, I had to meet with the Media Director and the President's security to get clearance to use my camera. As I was escorted through the arena, I literally got goosebumps! The entire stadium was sold out with standing room only. A complete crew of cheerleaders were keeping the fans pumped and figure skaters performed a pre-game show to entertain the crowd. Belarusian music was rocking the arena and flags were waving everywhere! I also found out the game was going to be televised! I couldn't believe the excitement and national pride in the arena! Of course, I returned to the locker room to share this experience and it only made the player's nerves worse!

The first 20 minute period was a bit rocky - our offense wasn't clicking together just yet and so at the conclusion of the period, we found ourselves down 6-1. However, after intermission and a clean cut of ice, we settled down a bit and played a much better second period. We managed to hold the President's Team to only two goals and we netted two for ourselves. Not only did our offense pick up but we had some great defensive plays as well (way to go Denis and Curt)! At the conclusion of the 2nd period, the score was 8-3. In the third period, we played even better! We found our legs and were able to keep the President's Team from scoring. At the same time, we were able to put up two more goals on the scoreboard. The game ended 8-5 but I believe our team still felt victorious and proud considering what we were up against. If we only had 2 or 3 more periods, we probably could have taken them! I'm not sure the instructors would agree with this theory since they had already been on the ice 6 hours today prior to game time!

Eddie received the game's "best player" award for our team and was given a gift to honor him. Tim "Velvet" (instructor) was also honored and was given a gift.

This was an incredible experience for everyone! All of our boys and host families were in attendance. I can't wait to hear the stories tomorrow morning at camp!

To view photos from the day, click here Pictures


New Camp Began Today...

This morning we welcomed the 2nd week of campers. This group, much like last group, is full of very talented hockey players from all parts of Belarus. We look forward to getting to know as many of the boys as possible as we progress through the week!

By the way, I found out what the older boys did yesterday - some went to a beach and others went shopping!

Cheers!

July 22nd Update

Dudutki Museum

Today was a busy but relaxing day for the instructors. We were taken to the Dudutki Museum which is approximately 35 miles outside of Minsk proper. It's amazing how quickly the landscape changes once you leave the large city of Minsk. It quickly becomes rolling fields and meadows with open pastures. You could almost convince yourself you are back in the Midwest!

The following is from the website http://www.hotels-minsk.com/tours/tour-dudutki.htm

"Possibly, at present the ethnographical museum Dudutki is the first and only private museum of material culture. Here the past and present are brought together. This is a museum of handicrafts where a piece of clay, steel or wood is brought to life before your eyes.
The museum was founded in 1993, and it covers the territory of 160 hectares. In the Dudutki museum activities and entertainment combine in harmony with nature and history. Former inhabitants of Dudutki estate in the 19th century owned it for 130 years. They made Dudutky one of the centres of cultural life in Belarus. Whoever you are, irrespective of age or position, plunge yourself into the atmosphere of the 19th century, get to know the ways of country life and discover the secrets of ancient handicrafts."

To view photos from the day, click here Pictures

Also, watch the video clips at top from Stalin's Line (yesterday) and Dudutki.

Our younger group of boys went to an amusement park in the morning and then did paintball in the afternoon. Feedback is they had a great time! They were a bit nervous going in when they saw the welts on the kids coming out! Anyway, they all survived without incident! I'm not sure what our older group of boys did today but I'll try to get a full report in the morning!

I'm sad to say Todd McLellan and his son, Tyson, flew home today. We will miss them both this coming week! Todd was invaluable to the camp and Tyson was such a great boy to have around.

Tomorrow, we start the second week of camp so I'm sure it will be quite hectic. We will have many new faces and names to learn! Fortunately, all host kids will return so they will know what is expected. The Belarusian boys come from all over the country and represent the best youth talent in Belarus.

After the full day of camp tomorrow, there will be a hockey game between a local team (ex professionals!) and our instructors plus a couple of players from the Federation.

We will be at the rink for approximately 14 hours and I don't have internet available. I may not be able to provide an update on Monday.

Cheers!

July 21st Update

Stalin's Line .....

Saturday was a great day for everyone! The Belarus Ice Hockey Federation took all of us to a WWII memorial complex called "Stalin's Line". Stalin's Line is an actual fortification from WWII and is located just 30 minutes west of Minsk. It served as a final line of defence against the advancing Nazi troops. It has been meticulously restored. The boys loved it! They walked through the actual trenches and bunkers and even operated some of the original military equipment. They were also treated to "soldier food" which they surprisingly ate (it was quite tasty). I tried to convince them it was made out of old boot leather but they were smarter than Todd Woodcroft gives them credit for. We were hoping to see a live battle reenactment but the start time was delayed to accommodate a group of bikers (literally hundreds) that had arrived but were not yet parked.

The National Library....



After we left Stalin's Line, we went to the National Library. It is an architectural masterpiece that opened just two years ago and is a symbol of national pride. Our tour took us to the observation deck on top of the building. The views of the city were fantastic!

To view photos from the day, click here Pictures

One of the dads from a host family treated the instructors to a Banya. A Banya is a traditional Russian sauna used to release stress and cleanse the body. The instructors are ready for a new week of training on the ice!

Northern Edge Cup - July 20th Update

Today was a very big day for all campers. In lieu of the afternoon on-ice sessions, the annual Northern Edge Cup games were played. See updated photos at Pictures
Ronald McDonald returned to the rink today to drop the first puck at center ice. Both games were very exciting and high scoring. Both age groups played very well. They were so excited! You would have thought they were playing for the Stanley Cup! Hats off to all the boys for working so hard.

During the morning off-ice sessions, Curt Leich taught the Belarusian kids how to play American football. For most, this was the first time they had played it. They really had fun with it and caught on quickly.

Press, again.........

The Northern Edge - Belarus Hockey Camp was in a local paper again today. It featured images of Todd Woodcroft and Todd McLellan. It was a very good article on how the Belarus Ice Hockey Federation and Northern Edge work together to develop young talent within Belarus. Curt Fraser's image was also featured on the front page providing notice that he would be holding a press conference tonight to discuss the Belarusian Nationals Team.

Entertainment......
Last evening, several of the boys were treated to a traditional Russian Banya. In a real basic sense, I understand it is some type of sauna treatment that can be really refreshing. One of the host families has a second home out of town. They treated some of the boys to a barbecue where they collected specific types of wood for the grilling fire.

The Ice Federation has arranged a day tour for tomorrow of an actual WWII battlefield (I believe it's called Stalin's Line). We've been told it has been meticulously recreated to make it appear as if the battle were today. Kids and instructors will be participating in the tour. The kids are really excited about seeing this important piece of Belarusian history. Activities are also planned for Sunday that will keep the kids busy. Some have indicated they may go fishing and others may do paintball. These will depend on whether formal activities are being planned by the Ice Federation.

A new tradition is born......The Coach's Cup


Tonight, the Northern Edge instructors and Ice Federation representatives went to an Iris Pub for dinner (the only one in Minsk). Todd McLellan stood up and expressed how all hockey camps have traditions and that he wanted to start a new one for the Northern Edge - Belarus Hockey Camp. He presented Todd Woodcroft with the "Coach's Cup" (see photo). This cup will be in Todd's care and must travel with him. Next year, Todd will have the honor of passing it on to a different coach at the camp. The names of each recipient will be recorded on the cup for posterity. Todd McLellan presented this tonight since he departs Belarus on Sunday.


Many thanks to Vladimir Tsyplakov, Curt Fraser, and Todd McLellan!!!

If you've read through the posts, you already know that we are very fortunate to have Vladimir Tysplakov, Curt Fraser, and Todd McLellan assisting with the camp this week. Their combined talent as both professional players and coaches has been invaluable. They have been so good with the kids. The kids were just thrilled to be sharing ice with the pro's. As this week came to a close, Vlady, Curt, and Todd were busy signing autographs on jerseys, hats, shirts, etc! Thanks a million! The fact that Todd Woodcroft was able to get them to participate is testimony to how well Northern Edge is thought of in the industry.

Baxter....

Baxter, if you are reading this, please tell Kelly that Brad says "hello"! (Todd's way of being funny).

July 19th Update - Draft Day!!

Last night, Northern Edge instructors and Hockey Federation representatives were treated to a tour of the civil Special Forces facilities. These forces are responsible for such things as terrorist threats and hostage situations. Several live demonstrations were provided by the elite group of officers. These gentlemen were very skilled in their respective duties. We suggested they come to rink and 'gear up' for a lesson in hockey! Many thanks to the Federation for arranging the visit.

No formal group activity was planned for the boys last night. Rather, independent activities were planned by their respective host families. Some had a casual night of rest and relaxation while others chose to go out for dinner and find casual entertainment. A couple even decided to get tattoos of the Belarusian bull! These 'free nights' of rest and relaxation are turning out to be a great way for our kids to infuse themselves into the local culture. You will be amazed at the amount of Russian they are using now! If only the instructors were doing as well with the language.

Tonight, the boys will make a repeat of last night and be entertained by their host families. I don't know what is on each one's agenda but I do know some are going to a barbeque by a lake while others are going boating.

Oh, just kidding about the tattoos!!

DRAFT DAY!!

Today was draft day. What this means is that after four days of on-ice and off-ice evaluations, the boys were 'carefully' drafted onto one of two teams. Trades were made and deals were struck. Eddie has been such a good sport on this trip that Todd decided to mess with him - he was purposely drafted last, just after players were traded for pucks and chairs. As usual, Eddie had a world-class smile and played along with the gag rather well! Hats off to Eddie. These teams will compete tomorrow for the Northern Edge Cup. I will let you know the results of the Cup game tomorrow.


I had a chance to walk around a little today so I snapped a couple of pictures to give you a sense of this place. I have added more images to the Flickr website.

Pictures


Cya!

July 18th Update

Update for Monday evening: Dinner with Mr. Naumov, the Minister of Interior
Todd Woodcroft from the Northern Edge Elite Hockey School was invited to join Mr. Naumov for a very special and traditional dinner at an elegant restaurant in Minsk. Accompanying Todd to the dinner was Todd McLellan, coach for Detroit Redwings, and Curt Fraser, coach of the Belarus National Team. Also in attendance were Slava Kiselev, General Manager for the Belarus International Hockey Federation, his wife Nastya, Arthur Rekshta, Manager of the Belarus National Team, his wife, Alina, the commander of the Special Forces, and a fellow officer. After dinner, Mr. Naumov invited Todd, Todd, and Curt to his house. Mr. Naumov happens to live very close to a new arena that will be opening very soon. This will be the 4th ice arena in Minsk to help accommodate the growth in hockey. This arena is designed to seat 15,000 fans! Also living in the same neighborhood are three North American pro hockey players! Todd, Todd, and Curt were very honored to be Mr. Naumov's guests.

Pictures are posted!!!

Pictures

NOTE: some are low resolution so I'd wait to print until I provide originals. I've tried to get pictures of all the boys!

Dinner with host families....
Tuesday evening, the instructors were invited into the homes of the host families. This was a very special evening for the players and instructors, but even more so for the families. They all went 'above and beyond' to please us as guests and we are grateful. Our Canadian and American boys were really excited to show us where they've been staying. All reports this morning suggest everybody had a great time and learned a lot about Belarusian culture. Many thanks to our new Belarusian friends!

Today, like yesterday, the younger group took to the ice first while the older group participated in off-ice training. Both groups are full of talent and all kids appear to be working very hard. You will see once you view the pictures! While viewing the pictures, see if you can spot Vladimir Tsyplakav, former NHL player for LA and the Islanders! His son is on the ice - he is in the pictures as well!

Tonight, the instructors will be providing coaching clinics for the local hockey coaches. The boys will be with their host families for an evening of rest and relaxation.

Until tomorrow, Cheers!!

July 17th Update

A natural star....

The press conference went very well last night. It was attended by two television stations and numerous newspapers. Todd Woodcroft and Todd McLellan (Detroit Redwings) represented Northern Edge. They were accompanied by Sergei Savitsky, Director of junior hockey, and Vladislav Ryzhikov, a representative from McDonalds. They answered various questions about the camp, about our trip, and about anything that they have learned so far. Todd McLellan explained how important visual training is on the ice versus spoken instructions due to the language barriers on the ice. Nick stole the show, however! He was asked what words he learned in Russian. He performed flawlessly in reciting such things as "You have a beautiful house" as well as the numbers from one to eleven. He received a round of applause for his fine efforts. Steve (his father) was so proud of Nick - rumor is it jerked a tear or two! After the conference (and numerous big macs), the kids departed with the host families. Some planned an evening of bowling while others rode go-carts. Still others just hung out with their families and got a good night sleep.

Wow - this is a busy time! Each morning, the first group of younger kids arrive at the rink around 8AM for on-ice at 8:30AM. We try to greet all the campers including the Canadian, American, and Belarusian kids. Our Russian language skills are improving with the basics (Good morning, thank you, etc).

The host families have been treating the kids very well and I personally asked each one this morning how their respective stays are going. Each one said everything was just fine and there are no issues or concerns. One host family even bought a new pair of shoes for one of our kids due to a blow-out during off-ice training on Monday!

The second group of older campers arrive around 9AM and they do their off-ice training first. I managed to take some video this morning of the younger group on ice and the older group off-ice. I will try to post the videos tomorrow as once again I am out of time. I'm currently in the offices of the Hockey Federation but I need to make my way back to the rink in 30 minutes. This evening, all the instructors will be splitting up to have dinner with the kids and the host families. The kids held a draft this afternoon to see which instructor went to which house (results unknown but I hope I get dinner, too!).

I have uploaded almost 600 photos to my computer already. I plan to select most and upload to a shared site on the internet. I attempted today but was not successful due to a technical difficulty.

Until next post, cheers! The boys are doing well.

Monday Update

After walking aimlessly, I shamed myself into asking for directions to the internet cafe. Unfortunately, not one of the 4 people that assisted me spoke English so it took a bit of effort to find this place - but, I'm here! In all of my travels, I've only felt this lost once before - in China. I believe its because all other places I've been to besides China and Belarus use English letters in their writing so you can fake your way by recognizing some root words. Here, everything is written in Cryllic so it's much tougher.

Half of group flew from Minneapolis to Chicago and the other half flew from St. Louis to Chicago. We had quite a lot of baggage considering all the camp gear that was checked, too. Everyone was excited and so the long 9 hr flight from Chicago to Warsaw went very fast. The energy levels began to drop once we got off the airplane in Warsaw, however, and we had 4 hours to kill. The boys were tired so Todd decided to teach them a new prank. He tied a $20 bill to a fishing line and placed it on the floor about 10 ft away. When some unsuspecting soul decided to pick it up, he'd yank the string. The boys then gave it a try and they thought it was pretty funny. I'm not sure the folks that bent over to pick it up found the humor in it, though.
After the boys changed into track suits and the instructors changed into their polos and chinos, Todd held a team meeting with final instructions on what to expect during the trip. The flight to Minsk was a little over an hour. Even though the boys were instructed not to sleep (so they would be able to sleep that night), many succumbed to the sleep fairy.

Once in Minsk, we waited around at the airport for a few minutes until we got our entry Visas. We stuffed the bus with all of our gear and went directly to the rink where our host families were waiting for us. They gave our boys a very warm reception and we spent a few minutes meeting and greeting each other. Then they were off to various restaurants with their hosts.

Everyone was able to sleep in on Sunday since the city tour was not until the afternoon. The tour went well and boys really enjoyed themselves.

We went to the rink bright and early Monday morning to greet the campers as they came in. As you can see, we had a little help from Ronald McDonald. He is a very popular character here in Belarus - they love him! The facilities are excellent and the locals are really working hard to make this a great experience for all. Tonight, we will leave the rink and go directly to McDonalds for a press conference.

I am having some difficulties with uploading the photos - primarily because all web pages are in Cryllic so I'm not sure what I'm selecting!! I will figure this out and hopefully be able to upload an entire album for you to view from a separate link.

Do not have any concerns - Northern Edge and the Belarusian Hockey Federation are doing a top notch job of taking care of the boys! I have to go! I've got to find my way back to the rink!

Cheers!

Yes - we made it!

I know you must be anxious for an update! This will be a quick post since I'm borrowing the rink secretary's computer . I plan to find an internet cafe where I'll be able to upload pictures and video.

All the boys are doing great and are having a wonderful time. Our flights went without a hitch and we landed in Minsk on time. The host families met us at the rink and gave the boys a very nice reception. After introductions, they took the boys to their respective homes and the instructors checked into the hotel. On Sunday, the group took a tour of the city visiting several historical sites. Minsk is a beautiful city with very friendly people. The tour ended with a giant ferris wheel ride in the park next to the rink. For dinner, the boys were treated to McDonalds.

Today is the first day of camp. There appears to be a lot of talent in both age groups. All the boys are working hard on and off the ice. Immediately following camp today, we will be meeting at McDonalds (one of our sponsors) for a press conference. As you will see when I post photos, Ronald McDonald greeted the campers at check-in this morning.

I will try to post again this afternoon with more details.

Pictures of the Junost-Minsk Rink

These pictures are of the rink where the NEEHS-Belarus hockey camp will take place. It looks like a very nice facility!

These were captured from the http://www.hockey.by/news-247.html website. Based on my ability to translate, the caption above the first picture on the site says the NEEHS camp in 2006 met for a week at the Minsk Palace and for a week at the Gomel Ice Palace in the town of Gomel. It then states there are two differences for the 2007 camp. First, both weeks will be in Minsk. Secondly, the camps will be conducted at the Junost Rink - "located in one of the most picturesque places in the capital - in the center of Children's Park".

Pryvitańnie! (Hello!)

Many thanks to those of you who have commented on this blog and plan to use it to keep up to date during our trip. Also, many of you have asked me to add friends and family to the access list, which I have done. We now have close to 50 readers with access and possibly more to add. It dawned on me that the 'non-parent' readers may have little information as to what this Ambassador Program is about. I encourage you to read the press release in the initial post below. I thought I'd share some additional information about the program, its sponsors, and Belarus.

The trip is being sponsored by the Ice Hockey Federation of Belarus (BIHF), Northern Edge and Reebok (RBK) Hockey. Northern Edge’s relationship with the BIHF began after a successful 2006 World Championship tournament in which Todd Woodcroft served as an assistant coach and it is evolving into a partnership that affords many opportunities like this one. The BIHF has sponsored our trip in the spirit of hospitality and an exchange of cultures. We will keep this in mind while in Belarus!

The country's Interior Minister, Vladimir Naumov, is the President of the hockey federation and is the one primarily responsible for sponsoring this trip and allowing it to happen. Our gratitude goes out to Mr. Naumov!

Great News!!

In addition to the great group of instructors that will be leading this Program, Todd shared with us yesterday that Curt Fraser will be joining the staff on and off the ice!! Curt played over 700 games in the NHL as a power forward and was known for his toughness. Curt played for the Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Black Hawks, and the Minnesota North Stars. In addition, he has coached over 500 games in the IHL, AHL, and the NHL and was the inaugural coach of the NHL's expansion team Atlanta Thrashers. Currently, Curt is the head coach of the Men's National Team in Belarus. His sons Jesse and Casey will be with him in Minsk. Welcome, Curt!

About Belarus

After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. The country is comparative in size to the state of Kansas. Throughout much of history, the area which is now known as Belarus was part of various countries including Lithuania, Poland and the Russian Empire. Eventually, in 1922, Belarus became a republic in the Soviet Union as the Byelorussian SSR. The republic officially declared its sovereignty on 27 July 1990, and with the dissolution of the Soviet Union declared its independence as the Republic of Belarus on 25 August 1991. Since 1994, Alexander Lukashenko has been the state's president. Belarus is currently in negotiations with neighboring Russia to integrate both of their economies, among other things, in a plan called the Union of Russia and Belarus.

Only two weeks left and counting

It's hard to believe but we only have two weeks left to prepare for our departure to Belarus! I'm assuming everyone is as excited as Logan and I are! We've done our initial planning, spent countless late-night hours browsing the web for Belarusian information, drafted a packing plan, and purchased gifts for the campers, organizers, and host family.

Ci niechta tut razmaŭlaje pa-anhielsku?

This phrase may be the most important one I try to remember.........It's Belarusian for "Does anyone here speak English?". Unfortunately, Logan and I have not spent enough time understanding how to speak key phrases in the native tongue. Heck, I've struggled to figure out if I should be learning Russian Cyrillic, Russian Latin, Belarusian Cyrillic, or Belarusian Latin! I'm quite confident the locals' English will be much better than my Belarusian or Russian.

Belarusian links..............

I've added a few of the links I've accumulated over the past couple of weeks. I'm sure we've each bookmarked our own favorites but hopefully you'll find some value in these.

http://www.president.gov.by/en/

http://belarus.usembassy.gov/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarusian_national_ice_hockey_team

http://www.belintourist.by/travel_en.phtml?topic=factfile

The Plan........

My plan is to provide daily updates once the trip commences. This is obviously based on the availability of high speed internet services. The hotel has a business center so hopefully I'll be in luck. Please provide feedback, questions, concerns at anytime and I will be happy to reply!

This is the actual press release as viewed on the NEEHS.com website:

It is with great pleasure that we are announcing the winners of the first ever Northern Edge - Belarus Ambassador Program! In partnership with the Belarus Ice Hockey Federation and RBK hockey, we will be taking a group of young players to Minsk, Belarus for two weeks of intense hockey training and some awesome cultural experiences.

After months of preparing, NEEHS closed the application window with almost 200 entries for this inaugural program. "It was an eye-opening experience for us", said Todd Woodcroft, the director of the excursion. "Each entry was insightful and obviously took time to do. We want to thank every individual for taking the time to submit an application and we wish we could have taken everyone".

As it was, the response was so vast that the Belarus Ice Hockey Federation generously agreed to allow two more players to come over for a total of ten young men.

The following list comprises the ten lucky players and their hometowns:

Blake Kelley, Woodbury, Minnesota
Phillip Lux, St. Louis, Missouri
Brennan McGuire, Bloomington, Minnesota
Jeff Morris, Bettendorf, Iowa
James Rafferty, Lino Lakes, Minnesota
Logan Santel, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Eddie Schaeffer, Edwardsville, IL
Patrick Simmonds, Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Tyler Traill, Pickering, Ontario, Canada
Nick Walters, St. Louis, Missouri

The ten players represent 8 different hockey associations, 2 countries, 4 US states and 1 Canadian province.

Instructors for the trip are also representing different hockey backgrounds. Leading the trip is Todd Woodcroft of the Washington Capitals. Joining NEEHS this year is Todd McLellan, assistant coach of the Detroit Red Wings. "To have an accomplished man like Todd McLellan is humbling for us," said Woodcroft. "I look at him and see what he has accomplished (Gold Medal, Calder Cup, NHL playing and coaching experience) and I know that the Belarussian players and North American players will benefit greatly from his teaching."

Rounding out the list of instructors are:

Tim Velemirovich, Northern Edge Instructor
Mark Jorgensen, Executive
Director, Minnesota Hockey
Curtis Leich, Northern Edge Instructor
Steve Walters, Northern Edge Instructor
Brad Schwarzbauer, Northern Edge Instructor