CBR Brave defender Mark Rummukainen had never felt as sick with nerves as he did being a part of his sideโs epic 4-3 overtime grand final win on Sunday 2 September.
โI was so nervous, thankfully Trevor Gurling got to live out the dream and get that cup title,โ he said.
โThe rush of emotion that came out of everyone after he scored that goal was something Iโll never forget.โ
Having represented Canberra at ice hockeyโs highest level in Australia for the best part of 20 years, he told Canberra Daily he knew 2018 would be a special year early on.
โI havenโt ever been part of such a unified group โฆ There isnโt a single guy you wouldnโt want to hang out with, and all of that comes together and shows on the ice.
โI try to be a part of a good leadership group, and try to drive the guys,โ he said.
As one of the sideโs veterans, Rummukainen plays primarily in defence, but started the year in an arm brace.
โOnce the doctor gave me the all clear, the opportunity to play came up again and that was a very happy time for me and a very happy moment.
Rummukainen was an integral part in getting the Brave up after Canberraโs previous AIHL franchise, the Knights, folded in early 2014.
He got a grassroots campaign running with a number of other athletes, and in turn created relationships with Jamie Wilson, Warren Apps and Peter Chamberlain, all of whom collectively established the team.
Rummukainen first became involved in ice hockey here in Canberra as a nine-year-old, and said the growth the sport has experienced in the meantime has been exponential.
โThe community and the family aspect is a major difference to anything Iโve been involved with in the past, theyโve got it up and going.
โThe growth and the interest in the Brave is spurring on that growth in the juniors; a lot of the kids I coach in juniors come along with their Brave shirts on,โ he smiled.
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