Northern Ont. hockey team takes helicopter, train and truck to play
Hockey tournaments look a bit different for the Moose River Attack than they do for most minor hockey teams.
Just this weekend, the team of nine and ten year olds from the James Bay Coast, including Moose Cree, Moose Cree First Nation, Moosonee and Moose Factory, travelled by helicopter, then train and then in the car to get to a tournament in New Liskeard.The player's view of Moose Cree First Nation from their helicopter on the first leg of their journey to a Cochrane hockey tournament. (Photo courtesy of Brenden Biedermann)“It’s a two mile helicopter ride and that takes three or four minutes," said Brenden Biedermann, the coach of the team.
"From there, we go to the train station, ride on the train for five hours. Then we get to Cochrane, that’s where we connect to the rest of the country via road I guess… New Liskeard from Cochrane it’s about a two hour drive."
The team has also travelled to Timmins and Sudbury this season.Moose River Attack players on their journey to a hockey tournament. (Photo courtesy of Brenden Biedermann)What is usually a two to three day tournament turns into a five day get away for the Attack, adding quite a few more expenses to the trip.
“We’re having to spend two extra nights in a hotel room, that’s two extra days of eating out," said Biedermann.
"For our team, we spent an additional $1,300 on the helicopter and another $1,300 on the train. So, just to go to a tournament costs us an extra $2,600 and that doesn’t include the hotel rooms."A helicopter pilot preparing to transport young hockey players from the James Bay Coast on step closer to their next game. (Photo courtesy of Brenden Biedermann)While travelling for tournaments is one thing, the team also has to get creative when finding ways to get to practice.
“Before all the ice and snow came, we were travelling with a frontier canoe across the river," the coach said.
"Next week, we are going to use a snow machine. We will load up the ski-doo here, with the toboggan, put my daughter on, I’ll drive and go over to have a practice with her teammates.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Loblaw ends No Name price freeze, vows 'flat' pricing 'wherever possible'
Loblaw will not be extending its price freeze on No Name brand products, but vows to keep the yellow label product-pricing flat 'wherever possible.'

Discovery in Canadian lab could help laptop, phone and car batteries last longer
A chance discovery in a Canadian laboratory could help extend the life of laptop, phone and electric car batteries.
Woman detained in Syria says Ottawa is forcing her to make agonizing choice in order to get her kids to Canada
A woman held in a detention camp in Syria, along with her three Canadian children, says the federal government is forcing her to make an agonizing choice: relinquish custody of her kids so they can be repatriated to Canada, or keep them in the camp where the conditions are dire. Her children are eligible for repatriation but she is not a Canadian citizen.
15 students in Mexico treated after taking part in online 'challenge' involving tranquilizers
Fifteen grade school students in Mexico have been treated after apparently taking part in an internet 'challenge' in which groups of students take tranquilizers to see who can stay awake the longest.
Cheaters beware: ChatGPT maker releases AI detection tool
The maker of ChatGPT is trying to curb its reputation as a freewheeling cheating machine with a new tool that can help teachers detect if a student or artificial intelligence wrote that homework.
Still no answers on yearslong bread price-fixing scandal: law professor
More than five years since Canada’s Competition Bureau began an investigation into an alleged bread-price fixing scheme, no conclusions have been drawn nor charges laid. As the watchdog is now probing whether grocery stores are profiting from inflation, one expert says the effectiveness of its tools are in question.
Jeopardy! dedicates entire category to Ontario but one question stumps every contestant
Jeopardy! turned the spotlight on Ontario on Monday night with a category entirely dedicated to the province. One question stumped every contestant.
U.S. launches second USMCA dispute panel as dairy battle with Canada goes to Round 2
The United States is filing another formal dispute over what it considers Canada's failure to live up to its trade obligations to American dairy farmers and producers.
Boeing bids farewell to an icon, delivers last 747 jumbo jet
Boeing bids farewell to an icon on Tuesday: It's delivering its final 747 jumbo jet.