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In the 6th Asian Winter Games 2007 that took place in Changchun, China which wrapped up early February, we were thrilled to witness the first Malaysian ice hockey team competing on an international level.
Malaysian Ice Hockey Team
Now, the first question that might immediately leap to ones mind is, “How many westerners were on the team?”
That query is understandable. After all, ice hockey in Malaysia is relatively unheard of. But happily the answer is, “None.” The team consisted of 18 locals from different background and ages, who have been playing less than 8 years in local ice hockey leagues. An even lesser known fact is that one third of the team either are or were students of Sunway University College.
Moi Jia Yung, the Assistant Captain of the team, is currently pursuing his diploma under Sunway’s School of Hospitality Tourism and Leisure Management.
Even the Deputy Chef De Mission, Steven Tan, is the Programme Assistant of Sunway’s Canadian Matriculation Programme (CIMP). Moi Jia Yung, the Assistant Captain happens to be pursuing an Event Management major at Sunway. He and fellow team member, Ian Daniel Tracy, an ex-student of Sunway’s American Degree Transfer Programme (ADTP), would traipse from the University campus after classes to Sunway Pyramid nearby for training.
When there are no upcoming tournaments, they train about 3 times per week on average, and actual training hours can only start late at night. “Sunway Pyramid’s Ice Rink is the only ice skating rink in Malaysia and we can only begin the training sessions after the rink is closed to the public,” said Steven “It is an inconvenience, but we make the best of it.”
Even buffed and strong youngsters like Jia Yung and Ian had to admit that it is strenuous to have to train late into the night and then wake up early the next day to attend classes. To them, however, it is worth the effort and sacrifices, which undeniably paid off when the team won in their first face off in the Games, beating Hong Kong 7-3.
(LEFT) Chew Jeen Sern was from the CIMP. Khoo Seng Chee was from the ADTP. (RIGHT) Chew Jeen Sern was from the CIMP.
Other team members, Adrian Chow and Chew Jeen Sern, are former CIMP students, and Allan Yeoh and Khoo Seng Chee were ADTP students. Adrian and Seng Chee are childhood friends who started out in the somewhat similar inline skating and eventually made the switch to the ‘icy version’ of the sport.
When the Asian Games Ice Hockey Event drew to an end, Team Malaysia managed an eighth ranking out of 11, not bad at all for boys who hail from a country that is undoubtedly too hot to have natural ice.
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