MORALE BUILDING FOR soldiers fighting wars has long been a staple of western armies.
Bob Hope was one of the most famous of such giving entertainers, gathering his friends for tours of American Army bases in various hotspots around the world.
Canada’s version of the USO involves, of course, something a little more Canadian: hockey.
Each year Canada has been in Afghanistan, military brass arranges a trip by some famous hockey players for a quick ball hockey tournament in the primary NATO forces base. Normally, they bring along a broadcaster or two to help call the games – adding a real big-league feel to the competition.
This year’s broadcasters were lawyer/agent/sometime radio personality Gord Kirke and Rogers Sportsnet host Evanka Osmak. What follows is an edited transcript of a recent chat between Cartt.ca editor and publisher Greg O’Brien and Osmak.
Greg O’Brien: So, how did you end up on the Afghanistan tour?
Evanka Osmak: Well, I was approached by MLSE (Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment), first by (COO) Tom Anselmi who said they we’re going to Afghanistan – it’s something that the military organizes, and they’ve been doing it for a couple of years now.
And I know Jennifer Hedger went last year and Brian Williams went, too.
They take a group of former NHLers, about a dozen, and a musical group. So, this year it was Glass Tiger – and then they asked if I wanted to go to do the play by play for the hockey games. It was all about boosting troop morale over in Kandahar.
GOB: So, they’re all playing ball hockey, right?
EO: Yep. Two games a day. It’s pretty spectacular… they have, a ball hockey rink set up and in use all the time… right beside the Tim Horton’s, so you feel like you’re back in Canada.
You really have to pinch yourself to remind yourself where you were. So, we played ball hockey every day and it was just different people from the military playing former NHLers.
When Tom asked me if I was interested I was obviously a little nervous so I told my parents and they were a little nervous for me as well, but I knew it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. So, we left on Saturday February 28th… and stayed there for 4 full days. And then we came back to Dubai, spent couple of nights there and then returned.
It was an incredible trip, and it was very emotional since we were there when three (Canadian) soldiers were killed actually. We heard of the news just before one of the hockey games, so it was really tough. You could just tell it was so tough for everyone getting through that and then we went through the ceremony.
GOB: What was that like? That’s far more grave than the normal things that you have to deal with on the job.
EO: No kidding. And it was so emotional because we had just come from the concert put on by Glass Tiger, which was fantastic. I haven’t seen Glass Tiger before, so you know they were incredible. There was so much energy and we were all up on the stage and we’re dancing and we had a huge audience from all different countries. So, we’re having tons of fun and immediately following that we went to the service.
So, it was such a roller coaster of emotions and we went and you’re on the tarmac and then thousands of troops are there to pay their respects to the fallen soldiers and it was tough, because even though I didn’t meet those guys and don’t know them, you just feel a connection there. You could have met them or it could have been anyone.
It was hard and that snapped things back into reality, because we’re having so much fun and you forget about the war and everything going on and then…
GOB: What was the best part of the trip for you?
EO: I’d say just the appreciation the that the troops had for us even being there. You kept hearing over and over again them thanking us and they’re still thanking us. I’ve made some contacts and I’m receiving e-mails or Facebook or whatever and they’re thanking us for coming. And I wonder why are you thanking us? We fly in and fly out after four days and it’s so easy for us.
We kept reiterating, “thank you for being here and doing this.” So, that was pretty remarkable as to how appreciative they are of us.
GOB: Now, when you say former hockey stars, who came with you?
EO: They try and get a different group of guys every year, but there are several that have been a couple years in a row, but Lanny McDonald made his debut… Tiger Williams, who’s been several times actually, Mark Napier, who’s been a couple of times, Troy Crowder, Ron Tugnutt… it was a great group. I didn’t know any of them before the trip.
And you know they seemed like nice guys, but until you’re really traveling with these guys and you know what you go through together, it was just by the end of it, it was a real family you know? They were wonderful, signing autographs and posing for pictures all the time and you know Lanny was by far the most popular guy
GOB: So, other than the ball hockey games, what else did you do?
EO: It was pretty busy. Actually one day I did go off, which I promised I wouldn’t do and I promised my family I wouldn’t do, but you just get in the moment and you’re like “okay let’s go.” We took a Chinook to one of the (small bases) right in Kandahar, right in the city, actually where the three soldiers were killed. It’s a base of only a 300 people or so, because the main base in Kandahar that we were staying at is 16,000 and it’s very well established. They have everything there, everything. But, at the mini-base that we went to. they still have a ball hockey rink there though and they all play hockey every day. So, we took the (helicopter) there and the guys played a game and Glass Tiger played a few songs. So, it’s more just to talk with them.
We also went out on the base and learned all about IEDs, (improvised explosive devices), toured the hospital, you know, just kind of getting familiar with the base and seeing what happens there.
GOB: Were you doing any filming for segments on Sportsnet?
EO: Yeah, there was a pool camera there that was doing that. I did some interviews with Lanny and some of the troops over there – and it was all just hockey related. I did some taping for a blog… on the Sportsnet web site.
GOB: Was there anything that surprised you while you were there?
EO: It was just how normal it was on the base. You’ve got troops walking around with guns, huge guns, in their uniforms and they’re driving around in their tanks, everything outfitted… there is not a moment where there isn’t a lot going on. It is busy all hours of the day and you’ve got your ball hockey rink and Canada Centre – I think every country must have their own – where you’ve got TVs, guys are on their laptops with WiFi and their phones and Sportsnet was playing. You can totally forget you’re in a war torn country.
Guys are still in touch though. They may have to wake up at three in the morning to watch the Leafs game or whomever their team is. But they do it… just the bonds that hockey has for Canadians, it’s such a stereotype that Canada is obsessed with the game, but it’s true. It’s an escape for them though. They have so many leagues and teams and it’s one chance for them to get out and kind of forget about the fighting and what that job is and how dangerous things are.
GOB: I’ve read the same about U.S. troops and football and baseball.
EO: We also saw a couple of beach volleyball courts and I saw guys playing like touch football. But the rink was definitely like the most active.
GOB: So, would you go back?
EO: Good question. I would consider it, definitely. It’s really dangerous, though, and the insurgents are getting braver and more aggressive… it’s not for everyone. I think I’ve done it and I’m glad I did and I walk away with an appreciation for the military because I had no idea really what was going on – but what they kept saying was “we’d rather be fighting here than on our own turf and on our own soil.”
I just have so much respect for them.
