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T E S T I M O N I A L S |
We took all three of our sons, 12, 11 and 7 to Fuessen Germany
for what turned out to be a wonderful hockey experience and
great family vacation. The quality of the players on their teams
was quite high – I pretty quickly figured out that the teams
were going to work well together. Both the 12 and 11 years olds
won their respective tournaments and both have stayed in touch
with their teammates. We welcomed the camaraderie and
friendliness of the group after a long winter season, and have
stayed in touch with a number of the families that we met. The
coaching was terrific. Everyone played and was made to feel an
important part of the team. We took some time to see the sights,
visit the castles and get to know the region, which added to our
memories. I thought of it going in as a one-time trip, and it
was so much fun that I am sure we will end up going back when
our 7 year old is old enough to play. As a family we attend
quite a few tournaments during the year, including many of the
best known in North America. This trip in many ways was the most
memorable and I would highly recommend it.
The Harpers
Fussen Cup 2006
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"Awesome!" doesn't begin to describe the time we had in
Fuessen. From the magical snowfall early in the week to those
last breathless minutes of the championship game,
Daniel and I are still reliving the fun. Loved the castles,
loved the people, loved the hockey. Skiing the Alps on
a spring day in Austria was great, as was watching our boys
rise to the occasion to win the Cup. My favorite memory,
however, is the kids exchanging jerseys after a hard-fought
battle on ice. Dan traded with Finland's #8 Virtanen and they
happily posed together for photographs wearing their "new"
sweaters. No matter how far my son continues in his hockey
career, he will always know the thrill of international
competition and the bond hockey players around the
world share. Thanks again for an amazing week.
Sue Easley and Dan
(Ease #34)
Fuessen Cup 2006
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I just wanted to tell you how much my son
and I enjoyed our trip to Sweden with the USA Selects '94 team
While this was a hockey trip,
the chance to experience another culture was priceless. Our
host family could not have been warmer or more accommodating
and we have made new, and hopefully life-long friends. The
chance to explore a beautiful city like Stockholm was
incredible. The hockey was also great and seeing kids from
different nations competing and then getting to know each
other as people is a memory we will carry forever.
The Reizens
Lions Cup 2006
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"This experience clearly is one
my son and I will remember for the rest of our lives. My son
was able to play hockey against teams from 3 countries, be in
the midst of a new culture and had the attention of some very
pretty European young ladies - what more could a 12 year old ask
for. Personally, I have not had this much fun since college".
Rafeal Nieves
Lions Cup 2006
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Trust the last leg of your trip home was good - sure is a long
trip! I want you to know that I really enjoyed the whole
trip. I thought it was well planned and was a great experience
for the boys. I know that Tom and others worked very hard to
make it just that and I would venture to say that most really
had a great experience.
Best
Regards,
Frank Pindar
1st Vice President
Greater Toronto Hockey League - Moscow 2005
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Hello Kevin. I trust that you and Mick arrived home safely
today. All of the Young Nats arrived safely in Toronto. Thank
you for all that you, Mick and your Moscow supporters did to
ensure that our journey to Moscow was awesome. It was! All of
you did everything possible, with such a positive attitude, that
would contribute to our experiences. Each of you deserves a
great big thank you, SOOOO, thank you!
Talk to you soon, all the best,
Tom Baker
Head Coach
Toronto Nationals 91's
- Moscow
2005
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What a wonderful experience. Out of all the tournaments we have
attended, this was our most enjoyable trip. Tyler spent one
hour on Monday given a presentation on this trip to his
class. Not only was the hockey great, but the life experience
will be with us forever. I want to thank you for the great job
you did with the kids. For a group of kids that came from
different organization, it was amazing how they played on the
ice, and off. I could not believe how smoothly everything went
on the trip. Your organization did an incredible job. Keep up
the good work. I hope Tyler will have a chance to play for you
in the future.
Tom Wolf -
Naperville, IL Fuessen 2004
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Thanks for the invite to Fussen. It was a life experience for
my two boys and also for me. The hockey was exciting and
competitive and Alex had a
blast. The other activities helped to complete and amazing
week. The
castle tours and the skiing were big hits with me and my kids.
Fussen is a beautiful location. Walking down the mountain to the
rink added an unexpected element. The village of Fussen is
story book quaint. Thanks again for such a wonderful
experience. Wouldn't have missed it for
anything.
Mike Carson
-
Elmhurst, IL Fuessen 2004
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I wanted to thank you for including my son Trevor on this
fantastic trip and experience. It was one of the best family
experiences we have ever had together, and we have had many I'm
lucky to say. The family Trevor stayed with was just incredible
to say the least. The dad is the goalie coach for the Swedish
World Cup and Olympic teams!!!! Trevor and I were in heaven
talking goaltending with Thomas daily. They had a daughter the
same age as our Emily and they hit it off as well, so much so
that she also spent a couple of nights with our hosts at their
house. We are already planning to meet them at DisneyWorld, as
well as Thomas wants Trevor to come spend a couple of weeks with
him this Summer as his guest again and work out at his goalie
camps.
Again, thank you and Gino for everything, as well as the great
young man at your pro shop who took care of all the equipment,
he was fantastic as well. Please keep us in mind for any future
trips, I don't know if they will match this experience, but we
are game for more!! Thank you for including my son and all of
us.
Jack -
Lions Cup
2004
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We want to thank you for the wonderful
opportunity you provided our son, Kevin and our family. Our
trip to Sweden was very simply put "awesome", it is a hockey
tournament we will never forget .
Thank You.
Greg and Sandy Loppatto
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Lions Cup
2004
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I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for the wonderful
opportunity to play in the tournament. We had a great time, and
it was a wonderful cultural experience for us as well.
Congratulations to you and your team, and we hope to see you
again down the road...
Scott and Ryan McDermott
- Ridge, NY
Team
America Lions Cup 2004
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Alex and I again want to thank you for the incredible experience
you provided us with last week in Sweden. The hockey was great
and of course winning the tournament was fantastic, but it was
so much more than just the hockey. The Huddinge families and
players were amazing and I know Alex has developed friendships
that could last a lifetime. She can't stop talking about the
trip and the first words out of her mouth yesterday was that the
trip was way too short and she wished she was still there!! I
think we all feel that way!
Kevin, thank
you for not only coordinating the trip and for gathering such a
talented group of kids but for also coaching the team! We want
to wish you great success with your trip next week as well.
Thanks again
for everything,
Nancy and Alex Rigsby
- Milwaukee, WI Lions Cup 2004
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We would like to extend our sincere gratitude for including
Danny on your Chicago Select hockey team. It truly was a trip
of a lifetime and one that will hold many fond memories for a
long time. When the Huddinge Hockey organization uses the term,
"Friends for Life", it really hits home. Our boys' staying with
the hosts families have now made wonderful new friends in a
country thousands of miles away. The host families were
all very gracious and kind to all of us.
Thank you,
Kevin, for making this trip so enjoyable and for everything
running smoothly. We hope that someday in the future Danny will
be able to play for you again.
Sincerely,
Bill, Dana, and Danny
#20 Sherer - Milwaukee, WI Lions Cup 2004
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I just wanted to take a minute and thank you for the awesome
trip that my son and my dad experienced last week to Sweden.
They only had great things to say. How organized and how
smoothly the whole trip went. I believe you were the driving
force behind it all, so I wanted to say thanks and what an
awesome job you did and how neat it was for these young hockey
players to have this experience!
Thanks
again.
Tricia Crawford
- Lions Cup 2004
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Shayne & I
Thank You for letting us join you & the rest of the team &
parents. It was a wonderful memorable experience. Shayne learned
so much from your coaching. It was terrific for him to have a
change of coach with a different style & view of the game. If
you are ever short a player again we would love to join you.
Thanks.
Deb and Shayne Wright - Gravenhurst, Ontario
Moscow 2004
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KC and I missed saying good bye last night (soooo exhausted) but
I wanted to catch you early to say a huge thanks for such a
great trip-- a fabulous experience for both of us and we both
appreciate the opportunities you've given KC. It was a fun week
with alot of laughs and great times.
Thank you
much!
Do you think that was real gold on those churches????
TX again,
Jeanette
Madock - OakPark, IL
Moscow 2004
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I would just like to thank you for everything you did for the
trip to Sweden. It was absolutely wonderful!!
You could not ask for the host families to be any nicer nor more
friendly. Speaking for the Theresa, Kyle and myself we had a
trip to remember and hope that we can return to Sweden again
sometime.
Gino was great and a Super Coach!!
Thanks again for everything - and also to the Management in
Chicago while we were there, they were very nice and helpful.
The Sucher Family -
St. Louis, MO
'05
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We want to thank you and your
organization for the hard work you put into the 2005 Lions Cup
trip. We can not say enough about the professionalism and
quality of the entire trip. It is hard to put into words
what my family has taken away from this recent trip. From
the great coaches, to the quality families on our team, and to
the host families that opened there homes to us, we could not
have been more pleased. Our hats go off to you and your
organization on a job well done. With three young boys
playing hockey, we hope to have the opportunity of being part of
a future trip.
Our sincerest thanks!
Michael, Lisa, & Garrett Gunski -
St. Louis, MO
'05
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I wanted to say thank you for such a great time. The Kids had a
ball and met some great friends. Joey has met a friend for life.
In Sweden, Heather and I enjoyed the area and I was able to meet
up with old friends for when I was over there when I was 17
years old. Them Swedes don't change at all.
Thanks again for a great time!
Joe MacConnell -
Saco, ME '05
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We had an absolutely fabulous time. I wanted to commend you on
the wonderful job you did coordinating this trip. Everything
went so smoothly. Germany is beautiful. I met so many wonderful
people. My boys were thrilled and so were we. I just got my
pictures back and can’t believe the trip is already over.
Tina Morici -
Chicago, IL '02
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Thanks for the invitation to be part of such an experience
Definitely one they will never forget, we are grateful they were
able to take part in this.
Connie Watt
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Every detail was taken care of…I realize it was a job putting it
together but you and the rest of the staff did a great job.
Thanks again… Life is good!
Karen Thomas
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I now find it very easy to understand why this is your favorite
tournament. What an unbelievable experience. Thank You!
Jill Dipuma
- Chicago, IL '02
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We had a great trip! The parents and the kids on our team were
wonderful; my host family was the best. Joseph will never forget
it. Neither will I. Debbie
Ryan -
Yonkers, NY
Lions Cup '02
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Thank you so much for all your many kindnesses and HARD work
which made our trip to Paris and Fuessen absolutely
magnificent! It will be forever a treasured memory….thank
you! Again, a million thanks for all that you did! It was
dearly appreciated and treasured.
Merci!
Gael O’Brien
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Thanks so much for the wonderful trip! Karl, my dad and I had a
great time. Everything about it was perfect!
Gretchen Burns
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Congrats on a great job…it was better than our expectations, and
the best experience we could hope Cam to have….he enjoyed
playing for Team Chicago…and you do a wonderful job representing
all of us.
Paul Koziarz
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Picked up LB and my mom last night and they said they had a
super time. Please thank all involved for the extra effort
getting them back. My mom is already asking when the next trip
is scheduled.
Brent Haney
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I would like to thank you for all the time, efforts and
dedication you have put into the International Hockey Exchange
Program. Out trip to Sweden was phenomenal and I know it is
because of people like yourself who have previously paved the
way for us to have such an opportunity now! The trip will be
etched in our minds for a very long time. In summary, Jaron
and I are very proud to be associated with such a great program
and look forward to future opportunities.
Cyrstal Rechsteiner
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Thanks for everything! We had a blast! We had a great group of
people and it makes the experience that much better.
Keith Mizwicki -
Orland Park, IL '02
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