the S A L A A M C U P Muslim Ball Hockey Tournament

The annual Salaam Cup tournament has proven to be a very important affair for all Muslim ball hockey players across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. Teams spend all year preparing to take part knowing full well that the calibre of play in the tournament is second to none. It could even be argued that some teams focus more on trying to win the Salaam Cup than they do their league championships for leagues part of the Ontario Ball Hockey Association (OBHA). This year's tournament was no different. Though the defending champion Green Birds were heavily favoured to repeat on their strong 2006 performance, several other teams played quite well and made things interesting in the ultra-competitive tournament.

Firstly, credit must be due to the Green Birds for winning their second Salaam Cup in three years and making the finals each year. The Green Birds defeated the Montreal Islamique by a score of 4-1 in the Salaam Cup Final. The Green Birds put the pedal to the medal on the Montreal Islamique and outplayed the "Quebecois Qrew" from the onset. They continued their dominance over the Islamique as the two teams have played each other in the finals or semifinals over the past few years for a total of four times with the Green Birds prevailing each time. Perhaps a change of tactics may aide the Montreal Islamique though an argument could be made that the team was overachieving anyways due to the absence of snipers Khurram Sher and Shaan Yusuf. Sher was unable to attend the tournament this year due to the unfortunate passing of his father a day earlier.

Most of the members of the Green Birds also represented the Pakistani national team that won the gold medal in Pool B of the 2007 World Ball Hockey Tournament in Ratingen, Germany. They were well-conditioned and in peak form throughout the tournament and it showed in their intensity. Tournament MVP Usama Mahmood continues to serve as an example for smaller players across the province with his stellar play and incredible speed while Yasar Razvi provided excellent goaltending throughout the tournament. The Green Birds carried an incredible 10 defensemen on the roster while playing two-to-three of them as forwards including Bilal Buttar who had 3 goals and 3 assists in 3 round-robin games.

The Montreal Islamique continue to serve as the bridesmaid but never the bride. The team played admirably in the tournament with a roster that was less talented than in previous years. Captain Faisal Shahabuddin did his utmost to carry the team while snipers Sophian Mian and Shoaib Ullah scored timely goals when needed. The team's future is bright though as both Sher and Yusuf should return to the lineup in 2008 and the team has a few young guns waiting in the wings as well. With Shahabuddin's leadership, the team should continue to be part of the cream of the crop though it remains to be seen if they can overcome their nemesis, the Green Birds. Much respect should be given also to the fact that this team has made it to the finals or semi-finals in each year which only the Green Birds can also lay claim to.

The Shaolin Monks had an incredible tournament. In three round-robin games, they surrendered a grand total of zero goals allowed thanks to a stingy defense and excellent goaltending by Ali Akbar. This included a physical game against the Green Birds which resulted in a 0-0 tie and several suspensions. Naveed Sheraly's leadership showed both on and off the floor and the team benefited greatly from youngster Taha Ali's goal-scoring prowess and defensemen Mustafa Alam's solid play at both ends of the floor. The Monks should be a formidable foe for years to come with the talent that they've accumulated and continue to develop including Omran Khan who had a strong showing. The team was also without forwards Hisham Ali and Zuhair Kanji which should make a big difference in future years.

The Malton Slappers may have made the most improvement from 2006. Once considered a bottom-end team due to a lack of talent, the Slappers put together a strong roster and turned some heads. Goaltender Ibad Khan proved to be more than a capable backup goalie with his stellar work between the pipes while forward Mudassar Hussain led the tournament in scoring with 6 goals and 2 assists. The Slappers will need to continue improving in order to keep up with the top-end teams but they definitely have some good pieces on their roster going forward.

The Toronto Red Army played in the tournament for the first time and made an impact. Forwards Ammer Askary and Alim Esmail provided the scoring and grit for the team while the rest of their team helped do the leg-work. However, the two were shut down against the Montreal Islamique in the playoffs and the lack of scoring from the supporting cast showed for the talented Red Army. It should be interesting to see how this team tries to improve itself but having Askary and Esmail on the roster is a good start.

The Black Stones turned out to be a pleasant surprise in the 2007 edition of the Salaam Cup. Most pundits wrote off the team and expected them to finish last but instead, the Stones managed to make it to the second round of the playoffs. The young and mostly inexperienced team was led by goaltender Rahil Ahmad who, at just 18, turned a lot of heads with his solid goaltending. The young goalie stole a couple of games for his team with his play and managed to keep the team in the game against a vastly superior Shaolin Monks team in the playoffs. Forwards Ibrahim Hindy and Sadegh Rasoul both turned in some excellent games as well while veteran defenseman Zuhair Fancy did his best to help Ahmad out.

The Rexdale Dragons , looking like a rag-tag group of players and captained by Imran Syed, managed to prevail over the Ghetto P's in the opening round of the playoffs. The team looked uncoordinated at times but Syed kept the team in the game with his timely scoring and leadership while the team's goaltender made the big stops when necessary. The Dragons are not expected to be a contender anytime soon but should be a team that others are wary of as a spoiler.

The Donlands Canucks , one of the youngest teams in the tournament, turned a few heads as well due to their energetic play. The team failed to win any games but showed that in time, they could become a contender. Lacking experience and sporting Team Canada jerseys with numbers taped on the back, the Canucks were an entertaining squad that can only go up with the talent that they have. The future is bright for these young guns.

Another young team featured in the tournament were the M&M All-Stars . Captained by grizzled veteran Ejaz Malik, the All-Stars turned out to be a tough team to play against according to foes yet were unable to capitalize on their chances throughout the tournament. Next year's edition of the team, should they re-enter, will have to be taken a little more seriously by opposing teams as the All-Stars could be poised for great things.

The Ghetto P's were expected to make some serious headway in this tournament but were upset in the playoffs by the Rexdale Dragons. The P's didn't seem to get great goaltending from their goaltender and failed to capitalize on their chances throughout the tournament. Mohammed Kadva and Ahmed Saleh led the team upfront though neither had terribly impressive tournaments. The P's also carried a very short bench which may have also played a role in their inability to overcome the lower-ranked Dragons. However, most fans were happy to see the P's eliminated due to their incredible trash-talking before the tournament and their general disrespect for opposing teams.

The Bladerunners flew under the radar in the eyes of the better teams in the Salaam Cup. Despite lacking elite players on their roster, the team was able to find ways to put the ball in the net. Captain and forward Salman Alvi was held off the scoresheet in the tournament but Salman Syed and Brian Beauvais found ways to put the ball in the net. Goaltender Samir Subedar turned in a strong tournament and picked up a shutout against the Black Stones but was unable to steal any victories for his team otherwise. It should be interesting to see how this team moves forward especially considering how many young teams are poised to pass them by. However, considering how classy the team and its players are, it would be an honour for most anyone to play alongside them.

One of the biggest disappointments in the tournament turned out to be the Noblemen . The cast was beset by several no-shows and missing players forcing captain Emmad Khawaja to improvise throughout the tournament. Unfortunately, the team was never able to gain any momentum throughout the tournament and would ultimately be eliminated from the first round of the playoffs as Khawaja was suspended for the game. The roster, a mishmash of players from different backgrounds, is not expected to be reassembled again for next year as rumours circulate of a return of the Crescent Knights . It should be noted that the Noblemen and Crescent Knights are not the same team as half of the Crescent Knights roster was playing on different teams.

Overall, the tournament showed that while the Green Birds remain at the top, there are some young teams coming up that could become serious challengers to their throne. One notable difference this year compared to last year was that most teams made the effort to wear proper team jerseys which definitely helped the look and feel of the tournament. Also, there were many young players in the tournament providing excellent play for their respective teams which bodes well for the future of Muslim ball hockey. It remains to be seen though how these players and teams try to develop themselves though playing against the best players is probably the best way to go. Participation in OBHA leagues is also an excellent way to improve as well as taking part in weekly pick-up hockey run across the city throughout the year. Suffice to say, the future is bright and the Green Birds will have to remain sharp in order to retain their crowns as the 2007 Salaam Cup Tournament champions.

~Nauman Abbasi


Greenbirds Captain Ijaz Chaudhry hoists the Salaam Cup after beating the Mtl Islamique	July 15, 2008 Greenbirds complete 3-peat Down the Montreal Islamique 2-1 in nailbiter of a finish by Safi Habib Have you ever tried the new Behemoth thrill ride at Canada’s Wonderland this year? If you participated in the 2008 Salaam Cup, you don’t need to. The yearly event was a physical, emotional and mental roller coaster ride. In the end, however, the Greenbirds reigned supreme for the 3rd year in a row after beating out the Montreal Islamique – who have now been sent home by the same team for the 5th year in a row! The Greenbird/Montreal rivalry begins to resemble the Toronto Maple Leafs/Ottawa Senators rivalry in the playoffs. This year’s event was a rather trying one for both myself and Farhan Baig (co-director) before the tournament and during the tournament with the festivities being kicked off on the Friday night. Before the tournament, just getting the right amount of teams was a huge undertaking for the tournament directors. Many teams were merging and some teams were dropping out. The final 10th team wasn’t fully booked until 4 days before the festivities begun. The normal hockey-like issues occurred like arguing in the parking lots, a bru-ha-ha between two teams on the rink floor leading to both their ejections, but this year, some aspects were marred with more abnormal incidents. Hooligan-like behaviour from certain fans, a police presence on the Friday night, teams purposely defaulting games to achieve a desired seeding and the most heartbreaking of them all, finding out a member of the Muslim community passing away due to a boating accident during a game in which the players that were on the floor at the time, immediately stopped the game and consoled each other. Looking at the positives first, this year’s tournament had great parity amongst the majority of teams and it showed in all the scores. Not only was goal scoring at an all-time low, but the goal differentials in the wins were at the slimmest of margins. Many interesting stories were the talk of the tournament. Media attention was finally achieved with the Mississauga News writing a small article on the tournament. Rogers Community News doing an in depth piece on the Salaam Cup and Omni Television covering the event as well. In relation to hockey, new and upcoming goaltenders stole the show such as Ibad Khan of the Malton Slappers looking like a man possessed in his semi-final game against the Greenbirds. A goaltending dual between the youngster Rahil Ahmad (Black Knights) and the decorated veteran Ali Akbar (Shaolin Monks) in the other semi-final game that had to go to shootouts. The 2nd year Donlands team that gave the defending champion Greenbirds fits in a Round Robin game which the latter only squeaked away with a 2-1 win. In addition, unlikely heroes were made. Ali Wadee – a journeyman on the roster of the Greenbirds – scored both goals in a nail-biting and exciting affair with the Islamique in the finals capturing the team MVP along with their 3rd championship. Other enigmatic episodes also occurred during the weekend such as, “how did these Rexdale Dragons become so good?” Captain Naiem Malik and his Co-captain Imran Syed pretty much took control of the team and started fresh with new jerseys and tryouts and the resurgence showed in the tournament. The Shorty’s Angels, a team comprised of all-stars from the ML Warriors and the Ghetto P’s were touted to become a strong contender, but instead, lost handedly to the Islamique 6-2. Members of the rookie Tpark team – very nice brothers from the Cambridge area – walking onto the floor surface with either no hockey gloves or being caught wearing their helmets backward. Be honest, I’m sure all of us started out like that. And finally, one of the most kind-hearted group of guys: the Bladerunners….ejected from the tournament for fisticuffs? No way, it couldn’t have happened! But it did happen. On a more emotional note, the Salaam Sports recognized a member of the Muslim community that passed away back in February of 2008. A regular ball hockey player and a person who frequented the Masjid on a daily basis. Sajjad Hussain was a true example of what brotherhood, unity and good nature is and this is what our religion engrains in us – only if we choose it to do so. With this, the Sajjad Hussain Memorial Trophy was introduced to award one member of our community every year at the Salaam Cup who has done outstanding work in building and helping to build the sport of ball hockey in our community. Whether it is organizing, managing and even volunteering, one member will be chosen and celebrated. This year, we chose Umar Wadee. This gentleman went beyond the call of duty for the organization. Setting us up online, inputting all player names and updating stats as each game ended. Its easy when you have a league with few days in between to get things done, but when games are consistently starting and ending, its not an easy chore. Umar’s dedication in bringing Muslim athletics to a high level of excellence in our community was so valued, that we have officially designated him as part of the executive committee of Salaam Sports. In the end, the Greenbirds showed the Muslim hockey world how you win championships. Spectacular goaltending, fierce defence and the relentless offensive zone pressure from the forwards. Newcomer onto the team, Rizwan Ali, who was back-up goalie to Yasar Razvi remarked “In the stands the Greenbirds make it look easy, from the bench, you see the intensity, the pressure they put on themselves and the difficult task to win. My whole outlook and respect for this team has totally changed”. The Salaam Cup isn’t an easy trophy to win and trust me, from a directors’ perspective, it’s never an easy tournament to organize. On behalf of myself and Farhan, we would like to thank a great amount of people who have helped during the tournament and made life a little more easier for the us. Zaki Habib for his videography, Ibrahim Baig, Rizwan Baig and Shawn Malik for their scorekeeping, Waheed Mohammed for coordinating the officiating for this tournament, Waheed Khan, Nazeem Persaud and Fehmeel Akbar for providing and grilling food outside the whole weekend and last, but definitely not least, to all the participants who kept themselves in check and made the environment a positive one for everyone around them. We hope the Almighty gives us the strength, zeal and opportunity to do it again next year.


Khalid Mufti and Shaan Yusuf: winners of the breakaway relay and best stickhandler events (respectively) at the 2005 skills competition.	July 4, 2008 Skills Challenges to be added to this year's Tournament The 2008 Salaam Cup will have a skills competition for the first time since 2005. The events are: Accuracy Shooting Fastest Player Breakaway Relay The Skills Competition will take place on the Saturday afternoon. Each team will nominate one member to participate in each event. Awards and prizes to be given to the winners. *Tournament Date: July 11, 12 & 13* *click here for Malton Arena directions* *Contact the Directors to secure your spot now!*




*Greenbirds repeat as Champions* *August 20, 2007* *Defeat the Montreal Islamique 4-1 to take the Salaam Cup* The annual Salaam Cup tournament has proven to be a very important affair for all Muslim ball hockey players across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. Teams spend all year preparing to take part knowing full well that the calibre of play in the tournament is second to none. It could even be argued that some teams focus more on trying to win the Salaam Cup than they do their league championships for leagues part of the Ontario Ball Hockey Association (OBHA). This year's tournament was no different. Though the defending champion Green Birds were heavily favoured to repeat on their strong 2006 performance, several other teams played quite well and made things interesting in the ultra-competitive tournament. Firstly, credit must be due to the Green Birds for winning their second Salaam Cup in three years and making the finals each year. The Green Birds defeated the Montreal Islamique by a score of 4-1 in the Salaam Cup Final. The Green Birds put the pedal to the medal on the Montreal Islamique and outplayed the "Quebecois Qrew" from the onset. They continued their dominance over the Islamique as the two teams have played each other in the finals or semifinals over the past few years for a total of four times with the Green Birds prevailing each time. Perhaps a change of tactics may aide the Montreal Islamique though an argument could be made that the team was overachieving anyways due to the absence of snipers Khurram Sher and Shaan Yusuf. Sher was unable to attend the tournament this year due to the unfortunate passing of his father a day earlier. Most of the members of the Green Birds also represented the Pakistani national team that won the gold medal in Pool B of the 2007 World Ball Hockey Tournament in Ratingen, Germany. They were well-conditioned and in peak form throughout the tournament and it showed in their intensity. Tournament MVP Usama Mahmood continues to serve as an example for smaller players across the province with his stellar play and incredible speed while Yasar Razvi provided excellent goaltending throughout the tournament. The Green Birds carried an incredible 10 defensemen on the roster while playing two-to-three of them as forwards including Bilal Buttar who had 3 goals and 3 assists in 3 round-robin games. The Montreal Islamique continue to serve as the bridesmaid but never the bride. The team played admirably in the tournament with a roster that was less talented than in previous years. Captain Faisal Shahabuddin did his utmost to carry the team while snipers Sophian Mian and Shoaib Ullah scored timely goals when needed. The team's future is bright though as both Sher and Yusuf should return to the lineup in 2008 and the team has a few young guns waiting in the wings as well. With Shahabuddin's leadership, the team should continue to be part of the cream of the crop though it remains to be seen if they can overcome their nemesis, the Green Birds. Much respect should be given also to the fact that this team has made it to the finals or semi-finals in each year which only the Green Birds can also lay claim to. The Shaolin Monks had an incredible tournament. In three round-robin games, they surrendered a grand total of zero goals allowed thanks to a stingy defense and excellent goaltending by Ali Akbar. This included a physical game against the Green Birds which resulted in a 0-0 tie and several suspensions. Naveed Sheraly's leadership showed both on and off the floor and the team benefited greatly from youngster Taha Ali's goal-scoring prowess and defensemen Mustafa Alam's solid play at both ends of the floor. The Monks should be a formidable foe for years to come with the talent that they've accumulated and continue to develop including Omran Khan who had a strong showing. The team was also without forwards Hisham Ali and Zuhair Kanji which should make a big difference in future years. The Malton Slappers may have made the most improvement from 2006. Once considered a bottom-end team due to a lack of talent, the Slappers put together a strong roster and turned some heads. Goaltender Ibad Khan proved to be more than a capable backup goalie with his stellar work between the pipes while forward Mudassar Hussain led the tournament in scoring with 6 goals and 2 assists. The Slappers will need to continue improving in order to keep up with the top-end teams but they definitely have some good pieces on their roster going forward. The Toronto Red Army played in the tournament for the first time and made an impact. Forwards Ammer Askary and Alim Esmail provided the scoring and grit for the team while the rest of their team helped do the leg-work. However, the two were shut down against the Montreal Islamique in the playoffs and the lack of scoring from the supporting cast showed for the talented Red Army. It should be interesting to see how this team tries to improve itself but having Askary and Esmail on the roster is a good start. The Black Stones turned out to be a pleasant surprise in the 2007 edition of the Salaam Cup. Most pundits wrote off the team and expected them to finish last but instead, the Stones managed to make it to the second round of the playoffs. The young and mostly inexperienced team was led by goaltender Rahil Ahmad who, at just 18, turned a lot of heads with his solid goaltending. The young goalie stole a couple of games for his team with his play and managed to keep the team in the game against a vastly superior Shaolin Monks team in the playoffs. Forwards Ibrahim Hindy and Sadegh Rasoul both turned in some excellent games as well while veteran defenseman Zuhair Fancy did his best to help Ahmad out. The Rexdale Dragons , looking like a rag-tag group of players and captained by Imran Syed, managed to prevail over the Ghetto P's in the opening round of the playoffs. The team looked uncoordinated at times but Syed kept the team in the game with his timely scoring and leadership while the team's goaltender made the big stops when necessary. The Dragons are not expected to be a contender anytime soon but should be a team that others are wary of as a spoiler. The Donlands Canucks , one of the youngest teams in the tournament, turned a few heads as well due to their energetic play. The team failed to win any games but showed that in time, they could become a contender. Lacking experience and sporting Team Canada jerseys with numbers taped on the back, the Canucks were an entertaining squad that can only go up with the talent that they have. The future is bright for these young guns. Another young team featured in the tournament were the M&M All-Stars . Captained by grizzled veteran Ejaz Malik, the All-Stars turned out to be a tough team to play against according to foes yet were unable to capitalize on their chances throughout the tournament. Next year's edition of the team, should they re-enter, will have to be taken a little more seriously by opposing teams as the All-Stars could be poised for great things. The Ghetto P's were expected to make some serious headway in this tournament but were upset in the playoffs by the Rexdale Dragons. The P's didn't seem to get great goaltending from their goaltender and failed to capitalize on their chances throughout the tournament. Mohammed Kadva and Ahmed Saleh led the team upfront though neither had terribly impressive tournaments. The P's also carried a very short bench which may have also played a role in their inability to overcome the lower-ranked Dragons. However, most fans were happy to see the P's eliminated due to their incredible trash-talking before the tournament and their general disrespect for opposing teams. The Bladerunners flew under the radar in the eyes of the better teams in the Salaam Cup. Despite lacking elite players on their roster, the team was able to find ways to put the ball in the net. Captain and forward Salman Alvi was held off the scoresheet in the tournament but Salman Syed and Brian Beauvais found ways to put the ball in the net. Goaltender Samir Subedar turned in a strong tournament and picked up a shutout against the Black Stones but was unable to steal any victories for his team otherwise. It should be interesting to see how this team moves forward especially considering how many young teams are poised to pass them by. However, considering how classy the team and its players are, it would be an honour for most anyone to play alongside them. One of the biggest disappointments in the tournament turned out to be the Noblemen . The cast was beset by several no-shows and missing players forcing captain Emmad Khawaja to improvise throughout the tournament. Unfortunately, the team was never able to gain any momentum throughout the tournament and would ultimately be eliminated from the first round of the playoffs as Khawaja was suspended for the game. The roster, a mishmash of players from different backgrounds, is not expected to be reassembled again for next year as rumours circulate of a return of the Crescent Knights . It should be noted that the Noblemen and Crescent Knights are not the same team as half of the Crescent Knights roster was playing on different teams. Overall, the tournament showed that while the Green Birds remain at the top, there are some young teams coming up that could become serious challengers to their throne. One notable difference this year compared to last year was that most teams made the effort to wear proper team jerseys which definitely helped the look and feel of the tournament. Also, there were many young players in the tournament providing excellent play for their respective teams which bodes well for the future of Muslim ball hockey. It remains to be seen though how these players and teams try to develop themselves though playing against the best players is probably the best way to go. Participation in OBHA leagues is also an excellent way to improve as well as taking part in weekly pick-up hockey run across the city throughout the year. Suffice to say, the future is bright and the Green Birds will have to remain sharp in order to retain their crowns as the 2007 Salaam Cup Tournament champions. ~Nauman Abbasi