HAVERTOWN, Pa. - The Haverford Hawks youth hockey team is hosting the annual Finland-USA Exchange Tournament at the Skatium, welcoming dozens of players from Helsinki, Finland, coaches and family members for a week of games and cultural experiences.
Hockey teams from two countries reunite in Havertown
What we know:
The Finland-USA Exchange Tournament brings together the Haverford Hawks and the ViikingIt club from Helsinki, Finland, for the nearly 30-year tradition. This year, 41 Finnish players are staying with Hawks host families, according to the Haverford Hawks.
What they're saying:
"It’s cool to see their different style of play," said Jonah Cohen, a player for the Haverford Hawks Hockey Club. "It’s just cool because [my dad] tells me stories of when he went to Finland and how he hosted when they came to the US," said Cohen.
Jonah’s dad, Micah Cohen, was part of the first Hawks team to travel to Finland in 2000. "I love watching [Jonah] play, love that he’s a Haverford Hawk. A lot of my friends make fun of me that he's just reliving my life. Sometimes it feels like a cold world out there, but this brings everybody together. This is a completely good thing."
The tournament is more than just a series of hockey games. Players and their families are sharing meals, attending a Flyers game, and taking trips to Philadelphia and New York City.
Exchange program history and cultural impact
The backstory:
The exchange began in 1999 after the Rinta-Panttila family moved from Helsinki to Havertown and hosted Finnish friends for a school tournament. The tradition grew into a formal exchange, alternating locations each year.
"This is more than hockey. This is like making lifelong memories, friendships. Showing everybody that hockey is not just a sport," said Otto Kinnunin, future head coach of the Helsinki ViikingIt Hockey Club.
This year’s exchange includes 112 visitors from Finland, with the 41 ViikingIt players joining Hawks families for 10 days. The week wraps up with a three-day tournament featuring teams from Snider Hockey, Wissahickon Skating Club, Montgomery Youth Hockey Association, and Philadelphia Little Flyers, along with the Hawks and ViikingIt.
The exchange alternates each year, with the Hawks traveling to Helsinki in odd years for a similar experience hosted by the ViikingIt club.
The Source: Information in this story is from the Haverford Hawks Hockey Club.