N.B. news: Newcomer joins hockey league, wins top scorer

It didn’t take long for 12-year-old Hanadi Faiel to fall in love with hockey.

It didn’t take long for her to get good either.

Originally from Sudan, the Grade 7 student at Beaverbrook School in Moncton moved to Canada from Egypt this summer.

Hanadi started watching the sport on TV and went to her brother’s ball hockey games at a youth club. She knew the sport was for her.

“I wanted to play hockey because when I came to Canada I watched people play hockey and it looked so fun,” said Hanadi.

“A boy said, ‘Girls can’t play hockey.’”

But, that didn’t deter her.

Hanadi didn’t register for the Community Sports Program in time. However, one evening when her brother was playing, she asked if she could join.

Retired physical education teacher Krista Richard said there was no way she could say no.

“I put her on a team right away that night and I think she scored five goals that first night. After five games, out of all the girls in the program, she had the most goals,” said Richard.

The scoring spree helped Hanadi capture the trophy for top scorer among girls.

“I was so happy. It was amazing,” she said.

Hanadi was pleased to be recognized, but didn’t realize she got to keep the hardware.

“I took her picture and she wanted to give me back the trophy. She thought it was just take a picture and that was it. So, when I said, ‘No, no it’s yours. It’s yours forever,’ she had the biggest smile and the nicest thank you. It made my day. It made my season,” said Richard.

Richard runs a free after school sports program and this winter over 380 kids played on 24 ball hockey teams.

Many of those kids are new to the country.

More than 50 per cent of the students at Beaverbrook are newcomers representing over 20 countries.

Richard says she strongly believes every child has a right to play no matter where they’re from or their socioeconomic situation.

“In the United Nations it says every child has the right to play. It doesn’t say every child has the right to play if you have money. That’s been my philosophy for the past 36 years,” said Richard.

Many of the newcomers played soccer in the fall and Richard had to twist a few arms to get them to try ball hockey.

“I think I convinced a lot of them to at least try it. I know they love it because they’re coming back the second week, and they’re smiling,” said Richard.

“They’re like her. She comes Thursday and Friday even when she’s not playing to see if someone didn’t show up so that she can be on a team.”

So just how did Hanadi get so good so fast?

“My mom bought for me a hockey stick and I play every day,” said Hanadi.

Richard said her top scorer got better and better and gained confidence with every game.

Now, she wants to convince Hanadi to try basketball.