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Hockey North America
Information Letter
Team USA / Team Canada to Europe
It's our 8th annual trip to Europe and response is just as strong as ever for
this event.
Hockey North America will be taking 6 teams from North America this season, 4
from the USA and 2 from Canada, this is the third consecutive season of this
large a turnout. We would also like to welcome the Westminster Statesmen from
England and Team Italy, participating in the HNA tournament program for the
first time. A total of 20 teams will take part in the tournament in
Zoetermeer, Holland. The tournament is full.
Included in this document should be all the information that you need to help
you get to Europe and back, as well as all the outstanding features that you
can expect from this very fun and special event.
The tournament will take place in Zoetermeer, Holland.
Zoetermeer (pronounced, "sue-ter-meer") is a small town located just 20
minutes from Holland's capitol of Den Haag (The Hague), and 40 minutes from
Amsterdam. Zoetermeer, Amsterdam, Den Haag, the ice arena, and the tournament
hotel are all accessible by train.
This is the 8th annual event in Holland. The tournament will be played at the
Prins Willem Ijshaal (PWA) located at the Zoetermeer town center (also known
as the "Centrum"). Each of the teams that will be playing in the tournament
will be either from Hockey North America or its European counterpart, Ice
Hockey Europe. There will a total of 5 divisions of play, with Division 1
being the stronger (upper intermediate / advanced), and divisions 2, 3, & 4
relatively the same (regular intermediate).
Typically there is a high level of interest in the tournament from the local
townspeople. You can expect a media presence of some kind at the tournament.
TV, radio, and newspaper have all expressed an interest in attending as well
as local politicians.
Tournament times will start on Thursday evening and continue through Sunday
night. Each team will play at least 3 games, with the top 2 teams in each
division advancing to a playoff game. Games are 3 13 minute stop time
periods. Including time for ice cleaning, there is 90 minutes allocated for
each game.
Tournament Features
3-4 games + 1 team practice per team
Games are 3-13 minute stop time periods with 2 officials, scorekeeper.
Individual awards for winning teams (1st, 2nd Place)
Individual awards for stat category winners (goals, assists, points,
goaltender)
Tournament T-Shirts for All Players
Team Awards for Offense, Defense, Sportsmanship
Detailed Stats Reporting
Team Photos
Team USA / Team Canada Features
Team Uniform Included (for the weekend)
Thursday Night Practice Included
Team Sweat suits Included - These you keep!
Note: Required Pant /Helmet Color
Team USA - Red Pants / White Helmet
Team Canada - Black Pants / Black Helmet
For a town the size of Zoetermeer, they have a pretty nice arena for
tournaments. PWA, as the arena is called, is an Olympic sized skating surface
measuring 200' x 100'. There are 4 large locker rooms with showers and bath
rooms in each. There is seating for more than 3,000 people at the arena as
PWA is the site of numerous international tournaments, as well as the home of
the Dutch Ice Hockey Federation. There is a pro shop at the arena as well
but don't expect to find any bargains here - count on this feature for your
skate sharpening and maybe a stick (in Europe, hockey equipment is
outrageously expensive.) Lastly, there is a bar/restaurant attached to the
arena that looks out on the playing area and is a nice place to stay warm
when watching games.
Be prepared (but you still won't be). Hotel rooms in Europe are small
relative to North America.
For some reason that's just the way things are in Europe. I've stayed in
hotels in Holland, England and Germany and they all have one thing in common,
tiny rooms and high prices. When you walk into your room for the first time,
you'll be amazed to know that the rooms go for more than $100 (US) per night,
and we are paying a lower rate than normal. Included as part of the stay at
the Golden Tulip Hotel is breakfast each morning. Breakfast in Holland
consists of meats, breads, jams, juices, and eggs. The hotel is less than 5
minutes from the arena and features its own train station for easy access to
The Hague, Amsterdam, and other European cities. There are also a nice bar
and restaurant at the hotel. 1998 was the fist year that we stayed at this
hotel and they treated us very well.
The easiest airport to fly into is Schipol Airport in Amsterdam. This is
where you get picked up by League Personnel. At Schipol everyone working at
the airport speaks English, all the signs are in English - you should have no
problem getting around the airport to the "meeting place."
You Will Meet League Personnel at "The Meeting Place" in the airport. The
meeting place is a huge red and white checkerboard colored object in the
middle of the open plaza, near the Burger King, train station, and car
rentals. The meeting place is where you will meet league office personnel for
your quick trip to the hotel. You can find the meeting place in the main
section of the airport terminal, which is also the same place you'll find a
bunch of shops as well as access to the train. Simply look for the signs for
the meeting place - it is identified by its red and white checkerboard
symbol. You should have no problem finding it. If you do, ask any airport
employee for help. They all know where it is.
Recognizing League Personnel is easy. Each person associated with running
the tournament will be at the meeting place at the airport, according to when
you are scheduled to arrive. You can easily spot League personnel by the
jackets we wear. The HNA logo is prominent on the back and easy to spot.
There are usually hockey sticks around too, which are a dead give away.
Attending the tournament as representatives from the league are: League
Director Elliott Root, Deputy League Director Alan Rakvin, and Staffmembers
Matt Foley, Drew McIntyre and Kevin Wilson. Vancouver Administrator Steve
Weller and Detroit Administrator Ron Jacobs will also be in attendance.
Getting Around While You are in Europe
You have several options for getting around while you are in Holland on your
trip. Let's deal with the first concern, which is getting from the airport
to the hotel.
If you are arriving on either Wednesday or Thursday, a representative of the
league will be at the "meeting place" at the airport to pick you up and take
you to the hotel. The drive to the hotel is about 35 minutes. If, however,
you are arriving earlier than Wednesday then you will need to get to the
hotel on your own as league representatives will not yet be in Europe yet to
assist you. There are several options:
1. Rent a car - this can be expensive, so plan ahead and shop around. Also
watch the requirements as most agencies require all the extra insurance
coverage.
2. Take a Cab - very expensive option as the ride is 35 minutes and the cab
may not even have enough room for all your gear, especially if two people
ride together.
3. The Train - the option of choice for most Europeans. The train is cheap,
it's easy, and it goes virtually everywhere worth going, fast and often.
There is a train station at Schipol airport right in the main terminal. The
hotel has a train station just a 2 minute walk away.
Taking the train from the airport to the hotel: First you need to buy
your ticket. Go to the ticket
window and tell the person where you want to go (Zoetermeer). Next, get on
the train heading
toward Den Haag. In Den Haag you will need to switch trains to a train
heading towards Utrecht
(prounounced you-trek). Get off at the station named "Zoetermeer." There is
a big office
building there and the hotel as well. The hotel is the Golden Tulip Hotel.
Again, if you aren't sure, ask. Most everyone speaks English.
Once you've got yourself settled down for your stay, the next item is getting
to the sites, such as Amsterdam and The Hague. Here, again, are some options.
1. At all times, getting to Amsterdam is always best by train. You can catch
the train just outside the hotel, the trains run regularly, and is cheap -
about $7, round trip. Parking and traffic in Amsterdam are difficult. All
the fun things to do in Amsterdam, such as the Red Light District, to use a
totally random example, are right near the train stations.
2. During the tournament the easiest way to get to Zoetermeer is to catch a
ride on one of the tournament vans - with 5 teams they will be running all
the time, especially during game time - or catch a cab, very cheap as the
trip is just a few minutes. There are always cabs sitting at the train
station.
3. There is also the option of getting to Zoetermeer by train as
Zoetermeer's town center, which is also where the rink is, has a train
station (actually just beneath the rink). To get there, go to the train
station and take the Zoetermeer local train. Get off at the Stadhuis (Dutch
for Town Hall) station. The rink is directly above the station. Don't be in
a hurry for this one, you'll be taking the loop around town the long way to
get to the rink.
Team vans will always be available to get back and forth to tournament games
while the tournament is going on.
After the tournament, groups of participants typically will take day trips to
different parts of Europe on the last remaining days, Monday and Tuesday.
The vans are available for these trips after the tournament and you are
encouraged to use them. Keep in mind, however, that cities such as Paris,
Brussels, Copenhagen, and Berlin, even Amsterdam are better reached by train
- much faster, much cheaper.
Getting home
When it's finally time to return home you'll be returned to the airport by
league personnel. Make sure when you give us your travel itinerary that you
give us your return flight so we can get you to the airport on time. League
personnel are all leaving on Wednesday morning to return to North America. If
you are going home after that date you will need to make transportation
arrangements to the airport on your own.
If you have not bought your tickets yet
You might want to start thinking about getting your ticket pretty soon. The
way airlines price their tickets is the longer you wait, the more it costs
you. Right now all the major airlines are running some of the best airfare
specials I have ever seen to Europe. For examples: Tournament Staff tickets
to Amsterdam, non-stop on United Airlines this year were just $336 roundtrip.
(Some fares to London are just $248 roundtrip, hotel rooms there almost cost
more than that).
One of the best ways to hunt down good deals on airfare is to look on the
Internet. My favorite site is for Easy Sabre. This is an American Airlines
service that can be accessed directly via the Internet or Compuserve, or
America Online. The Internet address is www.easysabre.com. Another helpful
service is on America Online called Preview Travel. Just click on the Travel
section on the opening menu. There is also a new service called
www.priceline.com. This allows you to bid on tickets to get the lowest price.
Keep in mind these variables when you price your flight.
1. The further out you book, usually the lower the price. Departures on
Tuesday, Wednesdays, or Thursdays are usually less expensive. Another
variable to consider is the time of day you fly. Sometimes leaving earlier in
the morning will get you a better fare. Lastly, learn to read the airlines'
airfare codes. On Easy Sabre if you see a flight that still has V class still
available (using United Airlines as an example) this means that the lowest
airfare available, is still available. An "F" on the other hand means that
only first class is available and you will pay an obscenely higher price.
2. Keep an eye on when fares usually go on sale. Europe, for example,
usually goes on sale in February when the airlines start to get panicky about
slow end-of-winter travel. When I was booking travel for the league office
here's what I did. I used Easy Sabre on the Internet. Here's an example from
last year: When I first priced the flight on United out of Washington-Dulles
each ticket was $680 (our preferred flight is the non stop from DC to
Amsterdam on United). That price was so high that there was no urgency to
buy. A couple of weeks later, now in early February, I priced the tickets
again and they were now $429 each - much better and a very convenient flight.
Using this example and by knowing how to read the codes, the right days to
fly, and when to wait, the league office save $780 and got a ticket on the
best flight for DC (and its a new 777 which is very roomy with a TV set at
each seat). Other areas to look are UAL.COM, Priceline.COM. All of the
airlines have their own web sites, with most offering discounts for online
bookings.
3. The next area to look for is in the travel section of your newspaper.
There are agencies that are called consolidators that buy big blocks of
tickets from the airlines. This way the airlines know that they are selling
seats and the agency gets them very cheap - which they then sell to the
public at a lower rate. In the DC area there must be 20 consolidators.
Always be sure to read the fine print as sometimes the airlines or agencies
will advertise a cheap rate without the add-ons (required stay-overs in a
city other than the destination city, taxes, passenger fees, security fees,
inspection fees, airport fees, etc..) taxes on a ticket to Europe can
sometimes be as high as $60 more. If you are a frequent flier and you got a
very cheap ticket on the airline that you have an account with, make sure
that you still get miles. Sometimes there are cheap tickets floating around,
but the catch is no frequent flier miles. Bottom Line: Spend a little time
understanding what you are doing and you will be much better off. There are
cheap fares for convenient flights with eligible miles, sometimes you just
have to look for them.
Passports This is a must for going to Europe. In fact, if you don't have a
passport the airline won't even let you on the plane. Passports are usually
checked at least 2 times before you enter Holland, sometimes more (when you
check in with the airline and at passport control in Holland). For US
players you can download a US passport application from the Internet. Using
your search engine, type in passport, and you should be directed to the US
Government site. You can also pick up an application at the Post Office.
Finally, you can also go directly to the issuing office in your city (if you
have one) and get your passport that day, which they sometimes will let you
do if you waited too long before applying.
Sample itinerary
The quoted price to you assumes a trip that lasts 7 days and 6 nights. It
also assumes that you will leave your home town on Wednesday, arrive in
Europe on Thursday, and then return on the following Wednesday. You will be
paired in a room with another player, so if you are planning on bringing your
wife or girlfriend please let us know - there is a (higher) price for single
occupancy which is different from the printed price. Also if you are staying
fewer than 6 nights there is a different (lower) price.
If you find that your plans are so different that you want to do a lot of
planning on your own you can also choose to simply pay the tournament fee and
make reservations on your own. The only feature that you would not get are
those associated with the hotel (rooms and breakfast).
Paying Your Fee
You do not have to pay your fees until you are sure that you are attending,
but no later than March 5th. We will not be collecting any money at the
tournament so if you have not made your payment by the time everyone leaves
you probably will not have a hotel room waiting for you. Whether we will be
able to get you one or not at that point is up to the hotel. Since there are
so few hotels in Holland it's best not to wait. Hotel rooms are very, very
tight this year in Zoetermeer. I have no idea why this particular year, but
they are tough to get at the Golden Tulip.
Provide us with your travel itinerary
We will be keeping track of 6 teams worth of people and guests so it's
important that you provide us with your exact travel plans. Please let us
know when you are planning on leaving for Holland, the airline, the flight
number, and the arrival time - how many days you will be staying at the Tulip
Hotel - and finally, the date you are returning, the airline, the flight
number, and the time your flight leaves. We need this information to
schedule pick up and delivery times at the airport.
Other costs
Single occupancy - Planning on staying alone or bringing your wife or
girlfriend? Then you will need the single occupancy rate. Its a higher rate
simply because you are paying for the room yourself, rather than splitting it
with another player. The single occupancy rate for Europe is $790 ($855
CDN), inclusive of all taxes and tournament fees.
Buying a jersey - as a participant in the Team USA / Team Canada program you
will have jersey and sox provided to you for the weekend. You also have the
option of purchasing a team jersey to keep. The jersey will be in team
colors, double color lettering & numbering, and will have your name on the
back. The price for this option is $90 (US Funds, includes shipping) for
Team USA jersey & sox, or $125 (CDN Funds, includes shipping) for Team Canada
jersey & sox. You are not obligated to purchase a jersey, but most players
do. Please don't forget that there are pant and helmet requirements - For
Team USA its Red Pants / White Helmets. For Team Canada its Black Pants /
Black Helmet. If you do not have the correct color pants you can contact
Jonco, the league's jersey supplier, at (301) 871-6561 for a quote on a pant
shell.
When we go to Europe we are representing our respective countries of The
United States and Canada, which the Europeans view as the best place on Earth
to be. It is important that you adhere to the color coordination
requirements so that you represent your team and yourself in the best
possible way. Besides, our uniforms look great and when you see what I'm
referring to when you get there you will not want to be the only one out of
uniform.
Airfare - Airfare is not included in the tournament fee. Be sure to shop
around for the best possible price and flight for you.
Triple & Quad occup - Because of the size of the rooms at the Golden Tulip
Hotel, there is no option of putting 3 or 4 people in a room to get the cost
down. You'll see what I mean when you get there.
Dinner / Eating Out Here is a cultural difference that will quickly notice
while in Holland. The Dutch like to make a big production out of eating
meals. When you go to a restaurant in Holland, the experience is very
different than in North America. In the USA and Canada, its speed and
service. In Holland, they take their time. The Dutch usually allocate 2-3
hours for dinner (first they get settled in, then they have a few drinks,
then they talk, then the meal comes, then dessert, then after dinner drinks
and more talking, then the check.) The service at the restaurant is geared
towards this process. If you are in a hurry (as in you want the process to
take less than 2 hours), make sure the waiter knows, otherwise it may be 20
minutes before you see him again just to place a drink order. This cultural
subtlety nearly caused a riot our first year in Holland.
Spending money - be sure to bring some money for souvenirs, lunch, and gas
(if you happen to be part of a trip in one of the vans). Gas in Holland is $4
a gallon so pick your car trip wisely (Think Train!)
What Holland is like - things you don't normally read about in the books…
Small Portions - Thirsty? Better order 4. The drink glasses are tiny.
No Tipping. - It's always included in the check. Guess it goes hand in hand
with the slow service concept and
the fact that the Waiters would starve if they had to survive on tips. The
Dutch are known for being very cheap. One time I dropped a guilder (60
cents) on the table as a tip, not knowing any better, and my friend insisted
that I pick it up. I did grudgingly, and felt bad about it, but my friend
didn't.
Mayonnaise on French Fries - Still can't get used to this one. If you order
any be sure to tell the server ahead
of time otherwise they'll drown your fries in mayo.
Ketchup is extra - an extra charge that is, in some places.
Hamburgers - Aren't always made of cow in Europe, but you can buy a beer at
McDonalds.
Plan ahead for shopping - most stores close at 6pm, are not open at all on
Sundays, and only stay open late
on Wednesdays. Most souvenir stores in Amsterdam are open every day.
Eating - Same thing for eating. Only very few places are open late at night.
Most everyone speaks some English - Since hardly anyone outside of Holland
speaks Dutch, the Dutch speak either English or German, but mostly English.
If you happen to ask a Dutchman a question and he doesn't speak English,
chances are good the next person that comes along does. Alternate languages
are compulsory in Dutch schools.
Trading with the Natives - I guarantee you that you will be asked to trade
something with another person
playing in the tournament. It's pretty big in Holland. Don't let them fool
you, the Dutch are masters of making you feel bad so they can get your jersey
(the worst deal in Team USA history was a player from Philadelphia who gave
away his team jersey for a box of skate laces). Your jersey and your sweat
suit will be very popular items. Kids at the stadium will be especially
persistent. If you do decide to trade don't expect much in the way of
quality back from them, they don't have access to the same great sports stuff
that we do in North America.
TV - is all government controlled and operated. US programs dubbed in Dutch
or German are especially
popular. Don't expect to see the NHL on TV in Holland, though. CNN, Cartoon
Network, NBC Europe, and MTV at the hotel are about all the TV you'll be able
to understand.
Trains - are the best, least expensive way to get around.
Red Light District - in Amsterdam, is probably unlike anything you've ever
seen in your life. Ask me about it
when your wife or girlfriend aren't around. Don't bother bringing condoms,
only government issued
condoms are allowed and they are supplied to you, and applied just prior to
performance (so I've been told).
Drugs - Some are legal in Holland (pot, hash) but only in certain places. Do
not bring any
into or out of the country as you will likely be detained in customs and
never heard from again. The past 4 years when I've returned from Holland
there have been drug sniffing dogs at the airport specifically waiting for
our flight to get in to check our bags. In keeping with the suspicion from
customs, you are likely to be searched when you return - so no bringing back
those kiddie or animal porn films or magazines so readily available in
Holland.
Driving in the passing lane - If you happen to be driving on a highway in
Holland you must drive in the far right
lane. If you drive in the left lane you will be pulled over and ticketed. It
is illegal to pass on the right in Holland. It is also illegal to drive in
the left lane, except during rush hour in the cities. We learned this one the
hard way one year.
How Americans are perceived - alone, the Dutch love Americans. In groups,
they don't. Try not to be an ugly
American by making jokes about the language, the currency, the food, the
Queen, or the serving sizes.
The Dutch are very proud of their country and don't like people picking on
them. Everyone acknowledges America's role in the world. We don't need to rub
their noses in it.
How Canadians are perceived - same as Americans. Try not to draw unwanted
attention to your group.
Don't joke about WWII - especially with a German (many Dutch are of German
heritage) - 50+ years later this
is still a very sore point with Dutch and Germans. The Dutch were defeated by
the Germans and don't like to talk about it. They were essentially taken over
unopposed. The Germans were defeated as well, but in a much more humiliating
way. There are still people in Dresden (Germany) that are very angry about
the Allied bombing runs toward the end of Germany's participation in the War.
Its doesn't matter to them that the Germans deserved it at the time. This is
a subject you only bring up when you want to start a fight.
Important addresses and telephone numbers when calling from North America.
The Rink is located at the Zoetermeer town center. To call the rink from
North America, dial this
number: 011-31-79-3423559.
The Hotel is located at Danny Kayelaan 20 . The telephone number from North
America is:
011-31-79-3610202
The League Office in North America: 800-446-2539.
Ice Hockey Europe Office in Holland, Edward Kort: 011-31-5923-53997.
The members of the league office will depart for Amsterdam on Monday
afternoon March 13th and will return on Wednesday March 22th. We will be
staying at the Golden Tulip Hotel with the other members of the tournament.
Until then if you have any questions, please feel free to call on the league
office for help.
Elliott Root
League Director
