Help Frazer play Junior A Ice Hockey in the USA

ABOUT ME

I am a 19 year old New Zealand Ice Hockey player and I have been selected to play in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL) in the United States for the Connecticut Oilers. I got into Ice Hockey at a very young age when my Mum took me skating in Queenstown as a 5 year old, from there I told her I wanted to play this game and have never looked back since.

All my life, my sporting goal has been to be the first New Zealand Ice Hockey player to play top level professional hockey in the US. The first step towards this is NCAA University Hockey (College Hockey). I believe I am on the cusp of achieving my first step towards this dream, as every year a significant number of players from the EHL sign University Hockey contracts. From last season alone, the Connecticut Oilers had 9 players commit to NCAA University Hockey teams.

CONNECTICUT OILERS

This team is located in a town called Norwalk, about 1 hour north of New York City by train. Last season, they finished with a 31-13 record, progressed to the playoffs and ended up winning the entire league. For me next season will consist of between 50 and 60 games, countless on and off-ice training sessions (including 4 gym and on ice trainings each week).

MY AMBITION AND WHAT I’VE DONE SO FAR

In order to achieve my goal, I have played both in North America and New Zealand for the last year and a half. I finished my school exams at the end of 2013 and before term actually finished I was on a plane to play for an academy team in Calgary, Canada. Then last season (2014/15) I played in the North American Tier 3 Hockey league for a team in Houston, Texas. These experiences were awesome and really helped me adapt to the way Hockey is played in North America and to develop my skills, game sense and strength and conditioning.

In between these North American seasons I played in the New Zealand Ice Hockey League (NZIHL) for the West Auckland Admirals and am doing so again at the moment as I wait for the start of training in Connecticut. It seems that I have been chasing winter for the last 2 years, but I have no intention of stopping as every chance I get to be on the ice is another opportunity for me to claw back an hour on the kids that I will be competing with in the US that grew up skating on frozen lakes.

BUDGET

I have been extremely fortunate to have my parents support for my dream, but there is a limit to what they can continue to do, as the costs continue to mount. These include flights to and from the US, team membership, competition fees, equipment and general living in the US. Junior and College Hockey are both strictly amateur so I can’t earn money from playing (as perhaps I could in Europe) and my visa restrictions will not allow me to undertake any casual work in what little spare time I may have.

All the funding I am privileged enough to raise from this appeal will go towards my costs – none of it to my general spending money. It will be extremely hard to express my appreciation to anyone who feels inclined and able to help. All I can promise is that I will respect the support 100% and will remain wholly and totally committed to training, playing, learning, developing and chasing my dream of College Hockey throughout my time in Connecticut.

I will send updates on my progress to everyone who would like to receive them. Thank you.