Photo By Lt.j.g. Nicholas Scott | Team Navy Region Northwest pose for a photo before defeating Team Army 10-9 in...... read more read more
South Florida is not generally synonymous with ice hockey, but that didn’t stop Parkland, Florida native and Trident Refit Facility, Bangor, team member Machinist’s Mate (Nuclear) 1st Class Jake Feldman from developing a passion for the sport.
“I tried everything but nothing really stuck until I tried hockey,” said Feldman. “I love hockey because it’s the most fast-paced and energetic sport, it’s exciting.”
Feldman was so good at his choice of sport that the family relocated to Denver when he was a freshman in high school, a city much friendlier to a hockey crowd. Feldman went on to play for teams all over Colorado, Ohio and Michigan.
Though he thought about trying to play for a university, the U.S. Navy recruiter who came to Feldman’s high school made too tempting an offer. Get the training you need to be an engineer, and you can always go to college later with the G.I. Bill. For free.
This shift in career paths did not deter Feldman from following his passion for hockey and it was his skill on the ice that helped team Navy Region Northwest beat Army Region Northwest, 10-9 in overtime, in their sixth annual game last fall. This game marked the first one back since 2019 with the 2020 and 2021 games being cancelled due to COVID.
The 2022 game was held at the Kraken Community Iceplex, the training facility for the Seattle Kraken National Hockey League (NHL) team and consisted of U.S. Navy Sailors from Naval Base Kitsap, Bangor and Bremerton as well as Naval Station Everett and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. While only Sailors play on the team now, it is open to Marines and Coast Guard members who want to try out as well.
The opposition was made up of U.S. Army soldiers and U.S. Air Force airmen from Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
“It was a bit of a Cinderella night,” said Feldman. “When people ask how the game was, I tell them we crushed them even though it was 10-9 in overtime. You might point out that is not a crushing score, but it is to me because their dreams were crushed!”
Throughout the game, neither team led by no more than one goal as the two teams leapfrogged each other on the scoreboard.
“I thought it would never end,” said Feldman. “The overtime goal was insane.”
Feldman said it was exciting to play a sport for which he is so passionate in front of more than 700 spectators.
“The Iceplex holds only a crowd of about 900, so we almost packed the place,” said Feldman. “We hope to play somewhere bigger next time, maybe the ShoWare Center in March.”
The accesso ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington, is home to the Seattle Thunderbirds major junior ice hockey team and holds up to 7,141 spectators when configured for hockey.
“I don’t think we’ll fill it,” said Feldman.
Feldman said he is grateful that his parents, wife and 18-month-old twin son and daughter were able to attend and watch him make the initial pass that led to the winning goal.
| Date Taken: | 01.31.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 01.31.2023 13:38 |
| Story ID: | 437542 |
| Location: | SILVERDALE, WASHINGTON, US |
| Hometown: | PARKLAND, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 63 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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