As the holiday season approaches, I would like to give a special thanks to a lot of people. Far too often the special efforts of people goes unrecognized. This organization would never be where it is without the efforts of the many supporters we have.
The Edinburgh Capitals organization is not a big one, and the people who volunteer their time and or money deserve a massive amount of recognition.
The sponsors of the team, especially our senior sponsor David Hand need a great amount of praise. I have been here for only 13 weeks and I can see how much David has given to the program. He is at the rink almost daily, talking hockey, Edinburgh, or just the daily news. It is great to have a hockey man supporting us!
Of course all of the sponsors deserve a special pat on the back, but it is the people who give their time that I would like to thank in this blog.
One such person is Lynda Bumani. Lynda is a godsend. She has worked extremely hard this year! She gives up so much of her personal time. She organizes and attends all of the kid’s club events, she sets up and attends all the school meetings and programs (roughly 3-4 a week), and she even massages the players! Lynda has made my job much easier. She is a wonderful woman and is someone who has gone far beyond the call of duty.
Another person who needs to be recognized is John Fairley. He is the do-it-all man. If I have learned one thing in Edinburgh-it is that John gets things done! He installed new heaters in the dressing room, new fans, and a new stall. He also gave a very generous win bonus to the players for Saturday’s victory against Manchester. I have no idea what I would have done this season without John.
One of my most vivid memories of my first week in Edinburgh was trying to understand Curly’s accent. I fondly recall Adam Stefishen getting out of the car his first day in Edinburgh after Curly drove him back from Glasgow and saying, “I just drove an hour with Curly, and I have no idea what he said other than the word ‘sheep.’” For those of you who don’t know him, he is at every home game, often the road ones and was the equipment manager before Matt Dible. Curly and his girlfriend Clair have been very helpful. They have done everything from picking up players in Glasgow, to sewing socks, to cleaning the dressing room, to making pre-game coffee. If you ever need a good joke, Curly is the man to see.
Ivan and Morvin from the Castle Arms are two of the best fans we have. The Castle Arms has become the players’ favorite place, largely in part to the hospitality of Ivan and Morvin. I know the players enjoy being able to have a place just to be themselves. Ivan is a true example of a fan that has committed to the organization. He offered to give us assistance in any way that he can. He has backed up every word he has said. If you like having Ben O’Connor on the Caps, you should make sure to thank Ivan.
Ian Croyle has done a little of everything for the club this year. He has housed Ben O’Connor, he has driven players around the city before they had cars, and he has treated the players to Wannaburger to give them a taste of North America. He has made all of us feel like guests in his home. He has given without ever asking for anything in return, especially at the poker table! In all seriousness, Ian is great fan and a wonderful person to have in the rink.
“Mr. B” (Beatson) has easily had the worst job of all the volunteers. He has transported the players to and from the airports for road games. For those of you who don’t know, that means he is at the rink at 5am to take us. In addition to the driving, he is always on the bench during games helping and has even helped Adam Stefishen fill his days.
If any of you like the website, thank Keith Butland! I know I nag him all the time about getting stuff online, but he is fantastic. He does all of this from England! I have never even met Keith, and I know that I owe him a huge debt of gratitude. Keith runs the forum, which is not always the easiest place to be during a tough month. He is a true professional and is always looking to help.
David and Jan Orkisz have been great in helping advance our exposure within the Edinburgh area. David has helped plan a big surprise for the fans in the near future. He has also helped a lot in advancing us with respects to our technology (not my strong suit). Jan has been taking photos of the team all year. If you enjoy the pictures on the website Jan is the one who takes them. In addition, he is working on the calendar for 2008.
Ali and Jim McCrae are the ones who came up with the idea of the vidzine. Last week our vidzine was the 10th most viewed sports video in the U.K! That is amazing! It is their hard work that has allowed us to get more exposure and do more with the fans. I thought it was a great idea and I am so happy that it worked out.
Steven and Mark, our interns, do a lot of the work that goes unnoticed, they are the ones calling schools, filling our forms, corresponding with companies. They have done a lot for the team. Steven leaves December 17th to return to the United State. He will be missed.
Matt Dible or “Dibs” has been a great addition to the team. Dibs has the hardest job in hockey…equipment manager for the Edinburgh Capitals. Dibs has been extremely helpful since he arrived. He is eager to learn and is always able to give the team a smile. He loves hockey and gives all his free time to be with the team. He tells me all the time that he has never been so tired in his life, and I am sure he is right, we work him hard. I think Colin Hemingway is single handedly going to give him grey hair. He takes it all in stride and is always there to help the team. I am looking forward to seeing Dibs become more apart of the team.
Last but most definitely not least, Jock Hay. What would I do without Jock! He is there for every practice, every game. He always has a smile on his face. He is a good ear when I need it. He has been great for me. I am incredibly thankful for all that he has done. He really has been a joy to work with!
I could type all day thanking all the people who help us. If you haven’t been mentioned above, please know that your contributions to the team have been appreciated. It is the people around the organization that make playing for the Caps such privilege. As fans you give all that you can. We are doing our best to make sure we improve as a team to give you something to be proud of in return.
I wish you all a very warm, dry, and happy holiday season.
Respectfully yours,
Doug Christiansen
