When you think of Kenya, you don't often think of ice hockey.
The Kenya Ice Lions are the only ice hockey team in the entire country, and every Wednesday and Sunday they play each other in the first-ever rink in East and Central Africa – even though there's no other team to play against.
Tim Hortons heard this story and decided to bring the team over to Canada, the birthplace of the sport.
“In Canada - and as a company - Hockey is part of our DNA,” says Jorge Zaidan, head of marketing at Tim Hortons Canada. “We are so inspired by the story of the Lions. Despite having no other teams to play against, the players on the Kenya Ice Lions’ passion for the game is unwavering. Their shared passion and love of the game knows no borders.”
The Keyna Ice Lions finally had a team to play against, and they had some extra help, too. The Ice Lions were joined by NHL stars Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon.
“It is a dream to not only have the chance to play in Canada, but to play – for the first time – in full gear alongside two of the greatest players of the game,” says Benard Azegere, captain of the Kenya Ice Lions.“ When we first started playing in Kenya, we didn’t even have full equipment, but now not only do we have that, we can say we’ve played a real game with some All-Star teammates.”
Tim Hortons also made a donation to Kenya's youth hockey league.
