BY CARL LAVIGNE – What could be better than a little road trip to build team spirit. And, why not, bring families closer together… in addition to relying on additional spectators to cheer on the Inouk abroad.
This initiative has enjoyed success at the NHL level for the past several years, now the concept has been borrowed by teams from the Junior Hockey League (LHJAAAQ), who not only took their dads on a road trip back in November, this time, the Granby Inouk took on their moms on a road trip to Montreal. The experiment was a great success.
The Granby Inouk organization, along with the help of the Montreal Rangers, made it possible for the mothers to enjoy an evening they won’t likely forget.
On January 27 when the Granby team faced the Rangers at the Michel-Normandin Arena, the moms, proudly wearing their Inouk jerseys, could be seen and heard supporting their sons’ efforts.
Despite a 4-2 loss, the Inouk family enjoyed the stay and, it seems, this initiative will continue from season to season.
Before Christmas, the first version of this outdoor outing was organized when the Inouk invited fathers to attend a game of their sons on the road during a game in Joliette on November 4 in Granby where, this time, the Inouk won 5-3.
The story does not say if it was the mothers who had expressed a touch of jealousy following this great initiative and who would have been pressured so that they too could live this beautiful experience! Thank you to the Inouk for this excellent initiative as well as to the Montreal Rangers and Joliette Predators for their welcome.
But wait, there is more. During the LHJAAAQ break, the Montreal Rangers also organized a hockey outing for their players who traveled to Vermont and attend an NCAA game when Boston College visited the Vermont Catamounts.
A great day for the players and certainly a nice way for the team to bound as the playoffs are just around the corner.
Great thinking outside the box by the Inouk and the Rangers.