Nothing unites like sports.
DeWinton brothers Bradley and Curtis Sylvestre had their first opportunity to play on the same team since their tyke ice hockey days this spring when they laced them up with the Slayers of the Calgary Roller Hockey League.
Now, they’ll be continuing the trend at the 2012 Alberta Summer Games, July 26-29 in Lethbridge, with the Foothills based Zone 2 in the inline hockey team tournament.
“He struggles a little bit because he doesn’t play hockey as much,” Bradley said of younger brother Curtis. “It’s always fun to go down on a two-on-one and pass it across to him because it’s so fun when he’s all excited about that.”
Thirteen-year-old Curtis’ experience in the sport contrasts that of Bradley, 15. In his first season of competitive inline hockey, Curtis is eager to lace up the blades and learn from the example Bradley shows.
“He’s played for about five years and it should be a good experience because this is my first year playing,” Curtis said of his older brother. “He’s showing me how to do everything and looking out for me because some of the guys are bigger and push me around and he’s just watching out for me.
“It’s nice to have him out there.”
Having an older brother as a safety net is a bonus, but Bradley also happens to be a pretty darn skilled player and the oldest member of the squad.
“He’s a really good player too so the whole team is looking towards him as a leader,” Curtis said.
Bradley, a Holy Trinity Academy student, was a key contributor to the Okotoks Bantam AAA Oilers in 2011-12 and served as an alternate captain late in the season.
Sylvestre parlayed his efforts into a spot on Team South at the Alberta Cup in May where he earned the silver medal. Both experiences should benefit Sylvestre in Lethbridge.
“It will help me be more prepared and be a leader on my team,” said Bradley of his Alberta Cup experience along with Zone 2 and Oiler teammate Jordan Grover. “Me and him we’ve got to go out there and be leaders.”
The Summer Games is old hat for the elder Sylvestre as a veteran of the 2010 Summer Games in Peace River during which Zone 2 finished in fifth place.
“You’re the youngest guy on the team almost, but it’s still lots of fun,” said Sylvestre. “(This time) you just want to contend.”
The Summer Games veteran is hoping to be a leader on the scoresheet too.
“I’d like to be one of the scoring leaders for the tournament,” Bradley said. “For the competition there’s a team spirit award and I’d like to see if our team can get that.”
Played at four-on-four on smooth concrete, inline hockey is a much faster paced game than its version on the ice.
Inline hockey gives the HTA student a reprieve from the highly competitive Bantam AAA ice hockey he’s used to.
“I like it because it’s not as serious,” Bradley said. “And it’s a little faster paced, there’s no offsides or icing and there’s no body contact either.”
The rules might be more lax on the rollerblades, but the effort required to generate speed and stick handle with a studded puck is anything but a walk in the park.
“With shooting the pucks not the same, it’s harder to stick handle with the puck and shoot it because the concrete floor drags,” Bradley said.
Preparations for the round-robin tournament have been at a premium for the team featuring players from Strathmore to Cochrane all the way down to the south of the Foothills.
“It’s guys from all over so we’re just starting to get to know each other,” Curtis said. “But we’re a pretty good team.”
The tournament at the Summer Games is eligible for all children born in 1997 or later.
The Sylvestre brothers will be joined on the team by Grover, Okotoks Peewee AA Oilers netminder Josh Ruigrok, as well as Okotokians Tyler Bordt and Kale Hawryluk. Cliff Bordt, the head coach of the provincial champion Okotoks Midget AA Oilers will be behind the bench in Lethbridge.
Zone 2 kicks off its three-game round-robin schedule on July 27 in a face-off with its Zone 4 counterparts. For results and schedules visit the Alberta Summer Games website at www.albertagames.com.
