Panthers' Ryan Lomberg among those excited to check out this year's tournament
One of the biggest and fastest growing international youth hockey tournaments took place this weekend in South Florida.
The Amerigol LATAM Cup is now in its fifth year and once again was held at the Ice Den in Coral Springs.
“I think for most of the players it’s a dream come true,” said President of Amerigol International Hockey Association Juan Carlos Otero. “Really, a lot of these kids are playing in roller hockey rinks, and the ones that may have a little piece of ice, it’s nothing like having a full sheet of ice, so for them, it’s a great experience and something that motivates them to want to work harder.”
This year the tournament brought together a total of 33 teams hailing from 21 countries and territories, with participating nations including Mexico, Israel, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, the Caribbean, Lebanon, Central America, Chile, Egypt, and Colombia.
“I think its unbelievable,” said John Colombo, Vice President of the Florida Panthers Foundation and Community Relations. “I think it’s taken on a life of its own, and it’s been a really cool experience from our end to go from a small tournament with a few guys playing from local rinks to people flying in, coming from different parts of the country as well as coming from different countries themselves, spending the week here and getting the experience of playing in a traditional hockey tournament that they wouldn’t find in another country.”
The Panthers have been a key partner in the growth of the LATAM Cup over the past several years.
On Saturday, Panthers forward Ryan Lomberg stopped by the Ice Den to watch some of the tournament and sign autographs for the players.
“It’s beautiful to see everybody enjoying the game of hockey from all over the world,” said Lomberg. “It’s amazing pulling in, seeing a packed parking lot, walking through the different arenas here and seeing how passionate the fans are, cheering on their countries and kids, it’s amazing to be a part of.”
Also on hand at the Ice Den were the Prince of Wales Trophy and the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, given annually to the NHL’s Eastern and Western Conference Champions, respectively.
“The growth of the tournament is a direct result of the support we’re received from the NHL,” Otero said.
For more information and to follow results of the tournament, visit https://www.amerigolhockey.com/.
According to organizers, “The mission of the Amerigol International Hockey Association is to provide hockey players in Latin America, the Caribbean and other non-traditional hockey markets around the world the opportunity to showcase their talent and raise awareness of hockey in their countries, while at the same time growing the game within these same communities in North America.”