The Wayne Gretzky 4 on 4 was a dream come true for me as well as everyone who got to check off an item on their bucket list and play with the Great One.

 This was truly a once in a life-time opportunity for me especially with my 92-year-old Dad dropping the puck for the Opening Ceremonies. My Dad (David Groenteman) is one of the most important builders of ice hockey in Australia. Dad survived death row, working camps and Auschwitz and became the Netherlands youngest National Team representative in Europe at that time. Moving to Australia in 1950, Dad built 5 rinks during the next 30 years in a country that had less than 12 at the time, these rinks and clubs which produced and continue to produce some the finest hockey players in the country.

My hockey career, which included playing for Australia, was also spent partially overseas where I ended-up in Kitchener Ontario, which is about 30 minutes away from Brantford where the Gretzky legend began. During my time in Canada, I, like every other dedicated Hockey player fan or official was in awe of Wayne, who was at that time the countries national treasure.

I can remember approaching scalpers for tickets outside the Maple Leaf gardens on a Wednesday night in minus 22 degrees, not because it was the leafs, but because they were playing the Oilers!

On the ice with the greatest hockey player of all time was surreal.

l was also fortunate enough to attend the luncheon the next day where I think Wayne got around and met every one of the 150 people there.

While that was special the  highlight was during the game where on the way to swooping in behind the net (his office)Wayne banked a sneaky look away pass off the near side of the net to hit his wingers stick, catching a few off guard, including the goalie and you guessed it, a quick and easy goal. He came to the bench, looked at me and said “it’s an easy game” with a wink and a smile. 

To share this experience with the Australian hockey fraternity  was also very pleasing, to have Referee Rick Williams on the ice as well as David Turik on the Bench was a bonus and well deserved recognition of their contribution over the years. I stayed with Rick’s family in Kitchener for 6 years after being coached here in Australia as a goalie by David all the while keeping one eye a firmly fixed on Canada to chase the dream, at a ripe old age of 13 I left home for Canada.

I wasn’t successful in achieving my lofty goals in playing in the NHL but from the age of 13 to 19 I enjoyed every minute and often look back on that time as being the highlight of my career, until now that is.

This is the new highlight for me personally and with the Australian Hockey alumni, friends and family to share in this most special occasion, simply it can’t be beaten, not for a Hockey player, coach or tragic and most certainly not here in Australia.

This all would not have been possible without the efforts of Kerry Goulet and Toni Miil. Kerry worked tirelessly to develop a concept to bring the Great One to Australia. TEG Live and TLA Worldwide made the commitment and brought the concept to reality.

Thanks to all involved, your “Australian Hockey tragic” David Mann #8