MEET YWAM HOCKEY STAFF KRISTA ....
Krista is originally from Lacombe, Alberta. She grew up on her family’s dairy farm, playing hockey on the homemade ice rink her dad would make each winter. At age 12, she joined the all-boys team at her Christian school and played there for 3 years. In high school, she wanted to play more competitively so she began playing girl’s hockey in the Lacombe Minor Hockey Association. For those 3 years she excelled as the captain and fell more in love with the game. After graduation from high school, she joined the Red Deer Bandits, a senior AA women’s team, and competed in the Southern Alberta Women’s Hockey Association. This team was quite competitive and she found a place here amongst players who challenged her skills and pushed her to improve. Her identity came through as a fore-checker and a player not afraid of the corners. After a few seasons there, she came to Vancouver to take the Hockey DTS. She spent 2 months in the winter of 2006 in Perm, Russia coaching kids and playing exhibition games. Since then she has joined YWAM Hockey full-time and is currently working on building a foundation of coaching certifications, while she is helping coach in the Vancouver Minor Hockey Assoc. She still has a strong passion to play and carries a love and respect for the game.

We had great adventures in Latvija. Highlites for us were meeting new friends, going to a few hockey games, and visiting some beautiful cities. We found the people friendly and the food very tasty. We saw a great hockey game in Ogre between the Riga Under 20 team and the professional team from Ogre. Both the players and their fans were very passionate. It was fun. The purpose of our trip was to scout out hockey outreach locations for the future and we feel that we found a few good posibilities.
The second photo is of Glen and Maris Dzelze, YWAM National Director for Latvija. Maris has an amazing life story. The following is an article I found on Maris at http://www.gospels.com/maris.htm
"During the 50 years of Communism the people were left with a moral and ethical vacuum which had devastating moral consequences-deceit, fear, unwillingness to make decisions, rampant crime, drugs, murder, alcoholism, and pornography are deeply embedded in the society. A deep yearning for something better has swept through the land. We have a unprecedented opportunity to share with them of the hope which lies in Jesus.
Maris Dzelzs was a moving force in Christian witness during the Soviet occupation of Latvia. His stories are legendary throughout the country.
Under communism it was highly illegal to print and distribute Christian Literature and Bibles. After leaving his daytime job Maris would work in an underground print shop producing Christian literature. During the communist occupation they produced books by Billy Graham and Louis Palu. These books were distributed throughout Latvia and Russia.
After being in the Christian underground for most of his Christian life on Christmas 1990 during the national revival he was able to meet with the Latvian President and Congress sharing with them the true meaning of Christmas. He was able to share the Gospel with an audience of open ears for fifteen minutes and give each of them a personal copy of the Bible. He told them the day was soon to come when they would need Jesus. Three weeks later on January 13, 1991 Latvia would experience its greatest political revolution ending communism as they knew it.
That January 13, 1991 over 700,000 people marched on Riga the capital city of Latvia. All eyes were glued to the TV News. Following that evening news Maris was given the microphone at the TV Station and in the next minutes he called the nation to repentance and prayed with hundred of thousands of people to turn to God as only He could deliver them out of the hands of the enemy. The power of God won and the communists power was defeated in Latvia. Within a few short weeks national elections were held and Latvia became a free nation after 50 years of Soviet occupation.
After the revolution in Latvia while Maris was establishing a prison ministry (which later along with others resulted in a Prison Fellowship Latvia ministry) and helping The Latvian Christian Mission in Riga he came in contact with some young leadership people from the Youth For A Mission movement in Europe. Together with others he decided to establish a YWAM work in Latvia. "

Lithuania was fun!
We found some hockey guys at the ice rink in the mall in Klaipeda, Lithuania. It was fun to meet Coach Jura and some of his players. They are just beginning their hockey program there and were excited at the possibiltiy of us coming back with a team. It was fun to get a ride to Leipaja, Latvia with Coach Jura and his friends Jura and Viktorija. We were able to catch an Oldtimers hockey game with them. Their fans are very passionate!

So, we are off today to Latvia and Lithuania. We are excited to go and scout out opportunities for a YWAM Hockey short term outreach in the near future. We hope to take in a hockey game or two while we are there as well.

MESSAGE FROM THE COACH.

Are Christian hockey players wimps?
Not on your life, no way!
Christian hockey players are some of the best emotionally balanced, well-rounded players on the team and make some of the best teammates a fellow player can have. When it comes to playing hockey they are full of grit, passion and intensity. God says in the Bible, Colossians 3:23,"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as for working for the Lord, not for men." that means that we Christians are to work hard in ALL that we do (even at practice).
Everything we do is done in honesty and with integrity which means that we don't,"do anything to win" but we do everything to win according to God's standards.
One of the hardest parts about being a Christian on a team is to maintain a good witness to your teammates and coaches; this is where you need God's wisdom and power. The Bible, in 1 Peter 2:12, talks about having such a good life (testimony) among your teammates that they may see your good deeds. This will earn you the respect of your teammates which then could open up opportunities for you to tell them about what God has done in your life and what He means to you.
Christian hockey player, you are not to shrink back but to step out in boldness knowing that Christ is in you and works thru you on the ice, in the dressing room and on the bench.

Glen Bueckert - Head Coach
YWAM Hockey