The Origins of Kondos Ice Hockey League
15 years in the past Chris Kondos began working his personal scrimmages and as a little bit of enjoyable referred to as it the Kondos Hockey League.
“We began by scrimmaging and giving younger youngsters someplace to go on a Friday evening reasonably than going out consuming and taking medicine. We supplied a wholesome avenue and atmosphere for these youngsters on a Friday evening. We might begin our scrimmage from 10:30pm on a Friday evening at Olympic Ice Skating Centre, in Oakleigh, Victoria, Australia. We might scrimmage for 4 hours some nights as we got the important thing to the rink and would merely lock the entrance door after we have been executed. Some nights we’d get off the ice at 3am. We have been hooked on hockey, not simply any hockey, however enjoyable hockey. Hockey the place the competitiveness facet was taken away and we might simply exit with any ability degree and benefit from the sport.”
Quick ahead to 2023, and Kondos has gained some ice time from Joey Hughes, the rink proprietor and fellow legend of Ice Hockey in Australia. Joey performed for Melbourne Mustangs, Melbourne Ice and CBR courageous for the AIHL (Australian Ice Hockey League). Joey cherished what Kondos was doing and wished to assist the league proceed rising by giving extra ice time availability for contributors.
As Chris Kondos describes it, “We began in 2023 on a Tuesday evening at 9:45pm for 90 minutes. Having to work the following day these skates have been onerous however we by no means discovered it onerous to get the numbers down there. We might get modified and run a mini draft each Tuesday within the change rooms earlier than the sport. We might choose 2 random captains each week and they’d choose their groups.”
After a number of months of video games, Kondos gained extra followers and extra contributors signed up serving to result in his dream imaginative and prescient coming to fruition. He would got down to formally begin the Kondos Ice Hockey League.
The Evolution of Kondos Ice Hockey League
Chris Kondos began with 4 groups, “I chosen 4 captains, 4 gamers that wouldn’t get the decision up in our different league right here in Melbourne, so this was alternative for them to have a go and lead a crew. We had a draft evening within the Café on the Olympic Ice Skating Centre and we had a roulette type draft, nearly just like the draft lottery. That’s the place the groups have been born. The unique 4 groups have been chosen and we have been away. Season 1 consisted of 35 gamers, a ref and fervour for the game.”
After a number of video games, Kondos purchased himself a DSLR digital camera as a result of he wished to make the league well-known across the metropolis and arrange a digital camera operator each recreation to stream the video games direct to youtube. The product at first wasn’t all glamour nevertheless it was a begin in the proper course. It ignited one thing inside Kondos to push and go more durable together with his league to supply a contemporary perspective compared to different Hockey league run round there.
When the NHL got here all the way down to Australia, Chirs recounts how he noticed that chance to assist additional the event of the league, “A gaggle of us went to the La Kings Vs Arizona Coyotes recreation that was right here in Melbourne. I bumped into a very long time buddy, Sean Figgers on the recreation. I pitched an thought to him that I need to stream and commentate our video games. I need to go larger after being impressed by the NHL being on the town. He was excited and mentioned “let’s speak”
It took 2 months for us to reconnect on this concept and he was instantly in. I paid for him myself and he got here on board. He’s so skilled together with his commentating and we wouldn’t have the expansion we’ve had up till this level if it wasn’t for him.
After outliving our lonely DSLR digital camera to stream our video games the fervour inside me began overheating. My spouse being my greatest supported didn’t stand in the way in which, in reality she was essentially the most encouraging individual.”
Chris Kondos works with Blackmagic Design who make superb streaming merchandise and cameras they helped for the setup. With the leagues additional development they now have 2 unbelievable studio cameras streaming out video games in addition to a digital camera within the rating field to seize Figgers’ (Sean Figgers the commentator) each thrilling second. Each recreation is streamed dwell on youtube and the league is actively rising out their social media presence.
Now because the league appears to be like to begin season 4 it has grown by 40 gamers. From what was initially 4 groups has expanded to 7 groups and the fervour that every one gamers have for the sport continues to open eyes to new contributors. Pleasure fills the locker rooms for the upcoming season to being!
As Kondos explains, “We stability all of our groups correctly with 2 extremely skilled gamers per crew, 5 to six middle-level gamers and one other 4 to five entry degree gamers or gamers who’re essentially the most desirous to study.
The stability helps out the inexperienced gamers as a result of the skilled gamers are making performs with them and involving them within the recreation as a lot as they’ll. Now we have restrictions on the highest finish gamers in order that they select to cross the puck extra and to anybody else on their crew.
We’re very sturdy and current on our guidelines for the video games. Now we have a zero tolerance on tough behaviors, for instance tripping, slashing and hooking. We don’t permit that in any respect and have a strict 2 strike coverage on our video games. Our method is that all of us have jobs and should work the following day so we don’t need to danger being damage. We are attempting to show our gamers that in case you are struggling to get the puck off somebody then work more durable to get it off them cleanly. Don’t permit your uncooked emotion to take over when you will have been overwhelmed by attempting to swing your stick at them and try to take them down. Use your toes to meet up with them reasonably than your stick as a weapon. We are attempting to stamp our the soiled performs from hockey the place individuals really feel secure to come back and play.”
Tuesday nights have turn into essentially the most thrilling time of everybody’s week. The league has an abundance of feedback on their fb web page that gamers account that is essentially the most enjoyable they’ve had at hockey for a really Very long time. Some performs have been enjoying over 10 years and so they can not keep in mind the final time that they had this a lot enjoyable. Some newbies are bettering so quick that they’re unrecognizable after a season with the league. They’re attempting to make passes and make performs reasonably than icing the puck, they’re difficult the higher gamers and successful some battles and so they’re even scoring on some superb goalies within the league.
“We even have some unbelievable goalies which have misplaced their method a little bit bit inside the hockey neighborhood down right here. They’ve managed to reinvent themselves with us as their ardour for the game has come again and reignited their flame. The goalies are making our video games the toughest problem as a result of some weeks we merely can not get something previous them.
The hockey neighborhood that we have now created right here is one thing else and I feel the entire world ought to know as a result of it has made hockey so enjoyable that gamers are turning up typically 3 hours earlier than their video games as a result of they’re simply purely excited to be enjoying on this superb league.
Olympic Ice Skating Centre in Oakleigh, Melbourne, Australia:
They’re the house of the Kondos Ice Hockey League and so they’ve been at all times accommodating with our league. They’re a household run rink and the employees are superb. Joey Hughes, the proprietor, is such a tremendous individual for Ice Hockey in Australia and he does a lot for the game, not solely ice hockey however all ice sports activities. The rink holds quite a lot of reminiscences being the oldest rink in our state. It holds reminiscences like myself and my spouse, we met there 20 years in the past, we additionally received engaged there 2 years later and holds quite a lot of helpful reminiscences for us together with everybody that skates there.”