More than just a game

Posted Mon, 23 Feb 2015, 12:21pm by Ian Watson

Netminder Julius Hudacek, known for entertaining the crowd, dances to Y-M-C-A after "Pride Match", supporting the Orebro LGBT community.

Our hats off to the Orebro Hockey Club. Netminder Julius Hudack is apparently well known within the Sweedish Hockey League (SHL) for his crowd pleasing post-game entertainment.

On a night when the Orebro Hockey Club held their "Pride Match", a game dedicated to supporting the local LGBT community, Hudack brought out five of his teammates, dressed in headgear reminicent of the Village People, and they ice danced to YMCA. Pro Hockey Players ice dancing. Now that's a must watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVXOHUGRmsE

The Orebro Hockey Club says that "Pride Match is more than just a game." Before the game, Orebro Pride held an information session and special ceremony, during the game they had an information table setup, spectators sported rainbow ribbons, and the players dawned special edition rainbow jerseys for the game againt Forlunda.

During Pride, team players and staff also marched in the Pride Parade.

No matter where you were born, what religon you have, what culture you belong to, what disability you have, what sexual orientation you have or what your family situation, you can expect to Örebro Hockey respect you and treat you equally.

Kiruna IF in an exemplary manner lift this important issue in the hockey world, and now it's time for the rest of us to jump on the bandwagon and show our position. Hockey is a sport for everyone. Behrn Arena is a place where we are all equal. We as SHL club want to take responsibility and do what we can to shape a better future

"No matter where you were born, what religon you have, what culture you belong to, what disability you have, what sexual orientation you have or what your family situation, you can expect to Örebro Hockey respect you and treat you equally.

"Now it's time for the rest of us to jump on the bandwagon and show our position. Hockey is a sport for everyone. Behrn Arena is a place where we are all equal. We as SHL club want to take responsibility and do what we can to shape a better future."

Now if we could just get the NHL to catch up here in North America... which continues to be viewed as the least supportive of the LGBT community of all the major pro sports leagues here.

Perhaps the Maple Leafs could lead the charge, sporting rainbow jerseys for a game. Even if it was just a publicity stunt to try and gain fans back... at least it would be something.