Canadian Moose Hockey Club embarks on Vietnam adventure
After 37 years of running the Canadian Moose Hockey Club, Woodville’s Mark Sadgrove knows all about travelling to different countries to play the beloved sport. This year his daughter, Jennifer, has taken over the planning of the group’s next trip to Vietnam.
It started back in 1989 when Sadgrove organized a trip to New Zealand with a group. “I created this thinking it was just a one-shot deal,” he said. The group has now gone back 20 times, and since then Sadgrove and the Moose have travelled to more than 20 countries, with two trips every year.
Sadgrove is now taking a step back. “(Jennifer has) done an amazing job,” Sadgrove said.
“We can play to our strong suits. I like the organizing part and the travel part, and dad loves hockey, and he has all the contacts at the end of the day,” said Jennifer.
During the trip, which will span 10 days, there will be three hockey games played at a newly built arena in Hanoi, Vietnam. “It’s not really a rivalry, it’s honestly just to promote the sport and share the love of it because it’s infectious,” said Jennifer, with the teams often getting mixed with players from Canada and the country they are visiting.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are. If you want to pick up a pair of skates, do it, and that’s what we’re there to encourage,” Jennifer said.
The rest of the time is spent sightseeing with a variety of walking tours, bike rides and even a day on a cruise ship is planned. “Three quarters of the day you’re touring, you’re sightseeing, you’re experiencing the culture, and then at night we play,” said Sadgrove.
“You’ll have some (people) that party, some that are a little quieter, some are there for a game, and some are just really wanting to explore,” Jennifer said, allowing for people who don’t play hockey to still travel wit them.
On this trip there’s people from Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough, British Colombia and even some from the US, bringing the group total to 50. While a lot of these travellers have been on trips with the club before, there’s always new people joining in through word of mouth.
“You make these friendships and then people come back for other trips going forward so you create these bonds,” she said.
Jennifer and her mom have also been going on these trips throughout the years. “The family aspect is nice, and I do think that helps with the trust factors, because (the group) knows we’re going on the trip.” This year Jennifer and both her parents are going to Vietnam alongside her husband and 16-month-old son. “(My son) will officially be the youngest on a trip.”
Ultimately what it comes to for the Sadgrove’s is being able to share “the sport that we love so much as a country with others,” said Jennifer.
The group will be back at the end of October and plans are already being made for the next trip in May 2026, with talks of the group going to South Africa.
