Roy Sakaki had travel on his mind when he learned he鈥檇 been nominated as a Hockey Canada Ambassador.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what the heck that meant,鈥� laughed Sakaki, the Salmon Arm Minor Hockey Association (SAMHA) administrator. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥榟ey, maybe I鈥檒l get a free trip to Japan or something!鈥欌��
A Google search later and Sakaki, who prefers to be working behind the scenes celebrating the accomplishments of others, realized his time in the spotlight was coming.
They call him Mr. Hockey.
鈥� Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) September 30, 2019
The son of immigrant parents, Roy Sakaki started playing hockey to keep busy. Today, after decades involved in the game, there is no one more loved in Salmon Arm, B.C. #HCCommunity
FEATURE STORY 猬囷笍 pic.twitter.com/c6jmztZV1M
Sakaki received a call from a Hockey Canada representative who was coming to Salmon Arm to put him on camera.
鈥淪o she flew into Kamloops and she stopped by the old rink (Memorial Arena) where I played and took a picture of that, and then she made her way here and timed it when I was playing some Oldtimers Hockey, so she made that part of her deal鈥�,鈥� said Sakaki, who is featured in a Hockey Canada Ambassador video.
Soon after, the lens turned to friends of Sakaki鈥檚 鈥� Salmon Arm Mayor Alan Harrison, SAMHA president Tim Giandomenico and business partner Gord Mackintosh, each sharing praise for Salmon Arm鈥檚 Mr. Hockey.
鈥淵ou go around the province and you mention Roy Sakaki 鈥� everyone knows Roy Sakaki鈥� he鈥檚 Mr. Hockey is what he is,鈥� said Mackintosh.
Asked about the Mr. Hockey title, Sakaki chuckles and is quick to redirect attention to fellow SAMHA staff, as well as volunteers and parents, who step up for the organization.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got outstanding people helping鈥� We are just so fortunate that we have really great parents who step up and do all those things we need to do to make the organization run, including the board,鈥� said Sakaki.
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The video was clearly an emotional experience for Sakaki, who was asked to share a bit about his family history, how his parents immigrated to Canada, how he was the youngest in a family of nine, and how they wound up moving to Kamloops where his career in hockey began.
鈥淲hen I started playing, I went up the ranks and, about Peewee, my mom and dad鈥� They started coming to the rink and you know, her English wasn鈥檛 that good, so when she came to the rink it was really great because she mingled with the other parents and she really felt at ease. And from Peewees on, she never missed a game,鈥� Sakaki explains in the video.
Despite his modest nature, Sakaki said he likes the video. He also appreciates the many kind words he鈥檚 received since being named a Hockey Canada Ambassador. Some have come from people he hasn鈥檛 seen in years, people he met through coaching or playing hockey, through baseball or during his years as an educator (having retired in 2007 after serving as principal at Parkview Elementary in Sicamous), on whom he left a positive, lasting impression.
鈥淢y first school was a two-room school on Mara Lake which is not there now. I had a great group of kids there and there was a couple of kids who responded,鈥� said Sakaki, whose daughters have been sharing all the kind words about him on social media. 鈥淭hey remembered us rebuilding that outdoor rink and playing hockey. We played hockey all afternoon there.鈥�
While he may be somewhat uncomfortable with the title 鈥淢r. Hockey,鈥� Sakaki continues to wear his love for the game on his jersey sleeve.
鈥淚鈥檓 still playing hockey, can you believe it? I don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e missed a year of hockey for 60-plus years.鈥�
@SalmonArm
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