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The Thai Stix ball hockey team recently defended their Highlands Cup title in Chiang Mai, going undefeated in a three-game sweep of the two Chiang Mai teams they faced.  The Stix sent seven players plus a goalie to defend their crown. The two forward units saw Jesse Starosta and Eddie Pasco pair up while John Stevens teamed with rookie Charlie Gurtner. On defense, Antti Nyrhinen, Stephen Sproule and a hobbled Scott Murray held the fort while Marc Brouillette from the Canadian embassy played brilliantly in net.

The round-robin affair saw each team play each other once, then the two teams with the best records faced off in the final. The Stix played against the Chiang Mai “B” team to start the tourney and then faced the Highlander “A” team in the second game of the event. The Stix won both and then headed to the nearby Mexican Grill for lunch waiting to hear who they would play in the final; it ended up being the Chiang Mai “A” team.

In a rough final contest; the Stix, trailing by a goal late in the game, came alive and stormed back to victory with Frenchman Gurtner playing a very physical game and making his presence felt throughout the game. Finn Nyrhinen scored the final two Stix goals on big blasts from the point, ironically scoring on fellow Finn and former Thai Stix player Ozzi Jaarvinen, who moved to Chiang Mai a few years back.

The players celebrated and swapped stories at a buffet held that night at the UN Irish Bar in Chiang Mai, a city that was traffic gridlockled because of the ongoing flower festival.

Info about playing in Chiang Mai

The Chiang Mai Highlanders ball hockey team was started in 2011; games are Mondays 7:30pm - 9:30pm and Thursdays 7:00pm - 9:00pm. Typically, 10-18 players play per game; the charge is 100 Baht per game; contact should be made through the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/474711125890763/?fref=ts), post a message on the page with any questions and the team will answer. The court is off Canal Road, directly behind the Sibsongpanna Restaurant (66/2 Moo.10 T.Sutep A.Muang). Players must sign up in advance for each game on the Facebook page.

Tragedy in Chiang Mai

Nicolas Brown, a Canadian from Vancouver, one of the players that played against the Thai Stix last year, was shot and paralyzed from the waist down last June. Below follows a few words from Nick and a link to a video detailing the incident and its aftermath.

“I was the victim of a random and brutal shooting while working abroad in Chiang Mai, Thailand. As a result of the shooting, I am now paraplegic with no sensation or movement from about the belly button down. I spent six months in a Thai hospital recovering from multiple surgeries and a nasty pressure ulcer on my tailbone that wore down the bone (sacrum bone exposed) The man that shot me is currently out on bail of the equivalent of 5,000USD and facing trial soon. His family have put him in a mental institute for a time and he has joined the 'monkhood' in Thailand to strengthen his case. In the meantime, I have been unable to work while travelling between my hometown, Vancouver, and Thailand for trial and medical treatments. Insurance and fundraisers have covered a lot, but the bills continue pile up as I struggle to maintain my mental and physical health now newly confined to a wheelchair.

“I am not one to normally ask for handouts or personal charity, but under these extreme circumstances and under the advisement of those who care, I have decided to reach out the larger global community for help. Anything you offer would be invaluable toward easing the extreme duress I am under. All money would go towards medical bills. Thank you very much.”

The link to the video that covers the details of the shooting and the fall out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUxs0sQMLOc&feature=youtu.be