By Avonlea Cummings
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The Greater Boston Junior Bruins team set out to Quebec City, Canada in mid-February to participate in a competition against the Ukrainian Selects team. The competition took place in an arena with 18,000 spectators watching. The game resulted in favor of the Ukrainian Selects after a 3-1 victory, but what made the night the most significant was the establishment of unity between teams.
Westwood’s Chase McFadden is a sixth grader at Westwood Thurston Middle School and is a proud member of the Greater Boston Junior Bruins team. As a forward on the team, he competed in the 63rd Annual PeeWee International Hockey Tournament with multiple teams. McFadden represented Westwood in such an amazing way alongside his team, as they celebrated the Ukrainian Selects team before and after the competition by skating together and holding the Ukrainian flag.
In honor of the Junior Boston Bruins' act of unity and respect for the Ukrainian Selects team, President Joe Biden sent the boys a signed letter sharing how their actions are an inspiration across millions globally in support of solidarity between nations. The president also shared with the boys that they exemplify what our future needs, hope, and peace amongst each other as opposed to division and harm.
The Greater Junior Bruins share a special moment of love and care for the Ukrainian Selects celebrating their bravery of a strong country and their unity has not gone unnoticed by many. It will be a very special memory for those in the arena at the time, and for the ones who get to hear of the monumental 63rd Annual PeeWee International Hockey Tournament.
Katherine McFadden, Chase’s mother, saw it as a special moment of unity between both teams, she gave insight into how Chase felt during such a monumental moment.
“Chase said that playing with his teammates in the Ukraine game against such talented athletes in front of 18,000 fans was an incredible moment and thrill that he will never forget,” said McFadden.
