The Tribune

By MELISSA GAUDETTE

Special To The Tribune

THE Nassau Street Hockey League (NSHL) is hitting the rink once again for their 17th season and they are looking for new and interested players to join in the action.

The first pre-season game is scheduled for 7:30pm tonight at The Sand Trap on West Bay Street.

It will be a pick-up game and is the first one of a series of tryouts.

There are two more pick-up games set to go on October 4 and October 11. All of the pick-up games are free for players to try it out so people can get a sense of the game before committing.

Jeff Pease, captain of the Nassau Sharks, has been playing with the league for four years and first started playing at one of the pre-season pick-up games.

“If you have never played hockey before, you should come out to one of the pick-up games and give it a try,” he said.

The pick-up games are a fantastic way to meet a lot of the current league members from the four league teams: The Potter’s Cay Pirates, The Nassau Maple Reefs, The Hurricanes, and The Nassau Sharks.

For these teams, the new draft picks will be scouted at the tryouts.

Once drafts are done, the teams will be set and the season begins. Pease said that this year is one he’s excited for because of all the new faces he expects to come out and play.

“It’s a great way to meet new people,” he said. “I was new to the island four years ago and was able to make a lot of great friends through the league.”

As the sport gains momentum in the Bahamas, the league maintains its solid community feel.

“I love the league,” Pease added. “It’s a great way to break up the work week and have some beers and get good exercise. It keeps me in shape while also having a lot of fun.”

It’s the fun of the sport that keeps players joining, and it keeps bringing them back every year. The games are fun, but they are physical.

“While you don’t necessarily need hockey experience, you do need to have athletic ability,” Pease said. “While it is a fun league, it does get quite competitive.”

However, there are always new players who do not have sports experience but just love the game. Showing up and playing every week is how to learn hockey and build up athleticism.

Games run every Wednesday at The Sand Trap at 7:30pm and 8:45pm and all four teams play each week. The first game of the regular season starts on Wednesday, October 18. This season will bring some excitement as each team will be fighting for the coveted championship title and the cup: The Stanley Conch.

Last season, The Potter’s Cay Pirates took the champs, but this season brings fresh battles. The regular season runs from October to April, with bracketed rounds of playoffs following as teams battle to win The Stanley Conch.

“I’m looking forward to another chance to win the [Stanley] Conch,” Pease said.

Excitement has already begun and the NSHL is ready for pre-season action. Players are encouraged to tryout at the pick-up games. Spectators can also cheer on the players. All are welcome. Follow NSHL on Facebook for more information.