VOA慢速英语--Kenya’s Only Ice Hockey Team

 

Kenya’s first and only ice hockey team is helping¹ to increase interest in the sport for a new generation of players.

The Kenya Ice Lions train at least three times a week at the Panari Sky Center in Nairobi. It is one of the few ice rinks in eastern and central Africa.

Tim Colby moved to Nairobi in 2010 to work for the Canadian embassy². Several months later, he found himself helping to train and lead Kenya’s first-ever ice hockey team.

“Years ago, a few of the Kenyans really wanted to take it up…play a lot more seriously, attract more people and get into real hockey games. So we took it up with a few other Americans, Canadians, Slovaks, Swedes and others. We started helping out a bit, but soon it didn't take long for the Kenyans to take it all over themselves...”

The Ice Lions have never had another team to play. But in 2018, the Canadian restaurant company Tim Hortons flew 12 of the team members to Toronto to play their first real game. It was a friendly competition against a team of firefighters.

Eighteen-year-old Gideon Mutua was part of the team. He started out as a speed and roller skater in 2012. He says ice hockey has changed his life forever.

“My biggest dream is to play in the NHL, whereby³ you get paid just to play. And one day, I think my dream will be fulfilled,” Mutua said.

Robert Opiyo is one of the first Ice Lions' team members. He says young players like Mutua are the future of Kenyan hockey.

He said, “Most of us we are quite senior, but the future really lies with the youth. This is where most of the time, the energy and effort are being invested⁴ in. For us, we are just taking in all of the pain, the hardships, the trials so that they can have it a lot…easier.”

Tim Colby believes there is a future for ice hockey in Kenya.

“This used to be about 10, 12 Kenyans playing. Now we are up to around 30. At least half of them are young. And when I say young, I mean under 15, which is really good for the sport in the future...”

Alibaba from China and Canada’s Tim Hortons have both given financial support and equipment to the Ice Lions. Support for the team has also come from Finland, Sweden and the Czech Republic.

There are plans to bring in teams from Tunisia, Egypt and South Africa for a tournament in July. The teams will play for a new prize, called the Africa Cup.

I’m Jonathan Evans.

Words in This Story

attract – v. to cause someone to choose to do or be involved in something

embassy – n. the building where an ambassador⁵ lives and works⁶

rink – n. an often enclosed⁷ area that has a special surface of ice, smooth pavement, etc., and that is used for skating

tournament – n. a sports competition or series of contests that involves many players or teams and that usually continues for at least several days

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 embassy   

n.大使馆，大使及其随员

参考例句：

• Large crowd demonstrated outside the British Embassy.很多群众在英国大使馆外面示威。
• He's a U.S. diplomat assigned to the embassy in London.他是美国驻伦敦大使馆的一名外交官。

3 whereby   

adv.靠什么，靠那个

参考例句：

• Whereby shall we know her?我们靠什么认出她呢？
• Whereby I saw that he was angry.由那一点我看出他生气了。

4 invested   

v.投资，花费( invest的过去式和过去分词 )；授予；（把资金）投入；投入（时间、精力等）

参考例句：

• The money will be invested in managed funds. 这笔钱将投资于管理基金。
• He invested his lawyer with complete power to act for him. 他让律师全权代办。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 ambassador   

n.大使，特使，（派驻国际组织的）代表

参考例句：

• He took up office as an ambassador for ten years continuously.他连任十年大使。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

6 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

7 enclosed   

adj.被附上的；（用墙等）围住的；封闭的；与外界隔绝的v.（用墙、篱笆等）把…围起来( enclose的过去式和过去分词 )；把…装入信封；附入；（尤指墙、篱笆等 ）围住

参考例句：

• The yard had been enclosed with iron railings. 院子用铁栅栏围了起来。
• Do not use this substance in an enclosed space. 切勿在不透气的地方使用此物质。