Charity game hoping to raise money for homegrown stars

SHEFFIELD, U.K. – Sheffield has for many years been a hot bed for local players coming through the junior ranks and progressing onto bigger and better things. Many of the countries top British players have come through the ranks at the old Queens Road Ice Rink, or more recently Ice Sheffield.

Players like Tom Squires, Ben Morgan and Steve Duncombe, all of whom have donned the teal and orange of their hometown club, the Sheffield Steelers, have come through the junior ranks in Sheffield, and accredit a lot of their success and development to their junior coaches.  
Avid hockey fans Ian Willoughby, Jay Clover, Matt Clarke, and Mark Duell decided to give back to the sport that they love, when they had the idea of setting up a charity hockey game with the intention of raising money for the Sheffield Junior system to help benefit the next generation of home grown stars.
The game will take place on Saturday the 21^st of July at Ice Sheffield with the face-off being 4pm.
There will be an opportunity to meet the players at a ‘Meet and Greet’ event at 1pm at the Noose and Gibbet Inn opposite the Sheffield Arena.
Tickets for the game are £5 for adults, £3.50 for concessions, and also a family ticket (two adults, two children) for £15 with all proceeds going to the junior clubs. The tickets can be purchased on the door at the game.
The game will be a Sheffield versus the World theme, with many familiar faces taking to the ice for a very worth cause.
The teams are:

Sheffield	World
5 Lee Haywood	7 Rob Lachowicz (A)
6 Ben Morgan (A)	12 James Neil
7 Andre Payette	13 Davey Phillips (C)
11 Matt Haywood	20 Dima Zimozdra
16 Tom Squires (C)	22 Sam Bullas
17 Ryan Handisides	29 Joe Graham
19 Greg Wood	33 Carl Ambler
21 Ben Bowns	38 Brandon Baker
23 Simon Offord	62 Kevin Phillips (A)
33 Andy Jaszczyk	69 Andy Cunningham
57 Lee Esders	88 Shane Moore
61 Nick Manning	89 Ciaran Long
66 Ian Willoughby
77 Ollie Barron
81 Pavel Gomeniuk (A)

Current Sheffield Steeldogs forward Tom Squires, will be captaining the Sheffield team and he spoke about his reasons for playing in the game, “I was approached by the organisers to play in the game, and I considered it a massive honour to be asked. The Sheffield junior academy have played a major role in my development, so anyway that I could repay them I was more than happy to,” Squires said.
“Being asked to Captain the Sheffield team is a huge honour and privilege for me. You only have to look at the names on the roster, so for me to be asked to wear the ‘C’ makes it even more special. It should be a great game as we are looking to raise as much money as we can for a very worthy cause, A lot of the lads who are playing, I have either played with or against them at some point, so it should be good fun. Hope to see you all down there,” Squires added.

The opposite number to Squires and Captaining the Word side will be current Belfast Giant and former AHL defenceman David Phillips. The 24-year-old also shares Squires optimism, “I was extremely happy to be approached to play in the Sheffield Charity Hockey game. And to be named Captain of the World side is a great honour. There are many great players who are playing in the game, for what is a very worthwhile cause,” Phillips admitted. ”I’m looking forward to getting on the ice, and having fun, whilst raising money for the Sheffield Junior Academy. Hope to see lots of fans down there, it should be a great game,” Phillips added.
For further information on the event contact sheffcharityhockey@hotmail.co.uk or follow on Twitter @shfcharhockey
Contact the author at Scott.antcliffe@prohockeynews.com