Canadians bid farewell to Afghan hockey rink

Oblivious to warning sirens and the dull thuds of possible mortar fire, Canadian troops battle it out for a tinfoil cup at their last hockey tournament under the sweltering Afghan sun. With the temperature sizzling above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), soldiers cheered on Task Force Freedom 2, mostly helicopter pilots and techs, as they thrashed Task Force Silver Dart 5-0 in the final of the five-a-side contest. Organised at the "Boardwalk" -- a huge quadrangle of shops and restaurants on the sprawling Kandahar Airfield -- it was a much milder form of the Canadian national sport than the version contested on ice. But with red rubber balls instead of pucks, it was enough to give them a fix of the sport that helped many of them cope with the psychological stresses of fighting a nine-year Taliban insurgency on one of its most potent battlefields. "I will sorely miss this rink," said Major James Armstrong, an intelligence officer and Silver Dart's star goalie, kitted out in a bright yellow shirt under heavy padding and a helmet. Armstrong's team played four hours straight and beat two teams to get into the final, and the fatigue showed by the time the big game came round. He failed to stop five balls punching the back of the net, but was impressive with other saves, diving several times onto the hot cement floor for dramatic effect worthy of a National Hockey League highlight. "It is very hot and we have been playing since six this morning," he panted. "It is certainly the most unique hockey I've ever played." A Kandahar Hockey League now includes other teams from NATO, such as Britain and the United States. But with Canada becoming the first major NATO contributor to recall combat troops from Afghanistan, being replaced by a small number of military trainers to be based mostly in Kabul, this was a different kind of tournament. "This is our way of closing down our own games," Armstrong said. Canada is repatriating its 3,000-strong combat force. Officers say most, if not all, of the air force's 475 personnel will be out of Kandahar by the end of August. The Canadians arrived in Afghanistan in 2002, shortly after the US-led invasion brought down the Taliban regime, and have been concentrated in and around Kandahar, the spiritual homeland of the Taliban. Nearly 37,000 Canadians have now served in Afghanistan, to the cost of 157 lives and $11 billion. Trying to recreate a home away from home, they built the hockey rink, and because ice was out of the question, they contented themselves with concrete and wooden sidings. At first they only attracted curious onlookers, but soon players from other countries joined in, giving birth to the league that has now become a fixture of life on one of the biggest NATO bases in the country. The league is played twice a year to accommodate the six-month stints of Canadian troops, allowing troops fresh from combat or passing through to catch an entertaining game or join a match. A military gym provides the equipment. All you need is the team spirit and a pair of good trainers to play on a rink only slightly smaller than a normal one, and emblazoned on all sides with Canada's national symbol, the maple leaf. Brigadier General Charles La Marre, the new commander heading Canada's transition force, said perhaps the most important question for departing men was "what happens to the rink when we leave?". "It is of course not going to be taken apart," La Marre said shortly before dropping the ceremonial ball to open the final. "This hockey rink has become an integral part of the Kandahar airfield and is in itself an institution here." Instead, it will be left for the Canadians' NATO allies to enjoy. For Master Corporal Deri Langevin, 38, captain of the winning side, Task Force Freedom 2, there was no better way to end his six-month stint. "It's kind of sad leaving, but we've accomplished more than what was expected of us," the Quebec native said, as he hoisted a tinfoil replica of the NHL's Stanley Cup and his team sprayed energy drink and water in lieu of champagne.