Kincardine man travelling to Czech Republic for Masters World In-line Hockey Championships

Josh Howald (above) of Kincardine is travelling to the Czech Republic, Friday, to play for Canada at the Masters World In-line Hockey Championships.

The tournament runs May 13-19, and Canada is No. 5 seed, playing in a group with the United States, Hungary and Great Britain.

Howald, 37, former sports reporter at the Kincardine Independent, has been playing in-line hockey for about 12 years.

“When I was working for the 'Hanover Post,' I went to write a story about the sport,” says Howald. “I ended up trying it out and have played ever since. It was just a pick-up game in Hanover, which later moved to Walkerton, but then we got organized enough to go play in one tournament each summer, basically.”

In 2013, Howald and Easton Battler, also of Kincardine, joined a league in London. “It ended up our team was amazing, young but very skilled. I played two years there.”

Feb. 24 of this year, the same night the Ken McCormick hockey game and dance was held in Kincardine, Howald went to try out for the Canadian in-line hockey team.

“I was short-listed a few days later,” he says. “A few weeks after that, when the final roster was announced, I was named as an alternate. Then, just a few weeks ago, Canada In-line called and offered me a spot on the team.”

Very excited but a little nervous, Howald has been trying to play as much in-line hockey as possible since being notified - twice a week in Waterloo and once a week in London.

“I have no idea how good we will be, and zero idea what other countries will have to throw at us,” he says. “But I think any time Canada enters an international tournament in any form of hockey, a gold medal is expected. I certainly hope, and believe, that we will be playing for a gold medal.”

All the games will be live-streamed on the Internet, so people can follow the team's progress on-line at:
World Cup 2018 - Masters and Veterans

The photo that accompanies this story, was taken at the North American Roller Hockey Championships (NARCh) tournament in Mississauga last summer; photo courtesy of Howald