Bethel Park’s Hudson selected to Team USA roll hockey squad
Ben Hudson will experience the trip of a lifetime when the Bethel Park resident travels to Europe this summer as a member of the USA 14U Ball Hockey Team.
“We have never been to Europe and are excited and looking forward to this once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Hudson’s parents Bill and Cindy Hudson.
Ben added that he is looking forward to playing against and meeting other players from other countries.
Ben earned his opportunity to play in the World Ball Hockey Championships, which will be held June 25 though July 1 in Nitra, Slovakia, after a successful tryout and through his play with Team Pittsburgh, a dek hockey travel program.
“The competition was fierce,” head coach Bill Almond said about the tryout. Almond also noted “dedication, hard work, skill and attitude” as assets that garnered Hudson an invitation to join the squad, which will represent the country.
Hudson is one of 22 players picked for Team USA. Seven of them are from Pennsylvania but only two others-Alec Pacheco and Ian Norkevicus-represent the Pittsburgh region. Three of the players hail from New Jersey while the remainder of the squad is from Massachusetts.
Since Team Pittsburgh participates in tournaments in New Jersey, Philadelphia, Boston and Canada, Hudson captured the eyes of coaches and scouts looking for players to participate in a tryout for Team USA.
During his team’s last local tournament in 2017, representatives from the United States Dek Hockey Federation extended Hudson an invitation to attend tryouts. While there were three tryouts, Hudson attended only the one held in Massachusetts. There he made an immediate impact on the organizers and gained one of the 22 spots on the squad.
Since age 7, Hudson has honed his skills. He started playing dek hockey with the YMCA. From there he moved on to play in-house and travel ball with Team Pittsburgh, which is based in the Brighton Heights neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
“Playing on the travel teams has been an awesome experience,” said Hudson, who also excels in baseball for the Bethel Park junior high team and the South Hills Devil Dogs.
Each year, his teams compete in tournaments locally, nationally and internationally. Hudson has traveled to New Jersey, Philadelphia and Boston as well as Canada.
Now, the Independence Middle School eighth-grader is off to Europe.
In addition to the USA and Slovakia squads, the World Ball Hockey Championships will feature teams from Czechoslovakia, Sweeden, Romania, Hungary, TEU and Tunisa.
The USDHF has made arrangements for all of the players and their families to travel together to Europe. Once in Slovakia, the team, along with their families, will stay together in one hotel, which is located within walking distance of the sports arena where the games will be played. The team will play one game per day.
“That should leave us plenty of time to explore Slovakia and, hopefully, visit other nearby countries,” said the Hudsons.
The organization has established a GOFUNDME page: (gofundme.com — Team USA U14 Ball Hockey Team) to defray costs for flight, hotel and other travel expenses.
“The goal is to raise enough money to be able to pay for the flight and hotel for each player and one parent/guardian along with the coaches,” said Mr. Hudson.
A local fundraiser will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. April 28 at the Getaway Café on Sussex Avenue in Pittsburgh. All the players, representing Pennsylvania, will be in attendance.