Kristof Welch Junior Review - A Familiar Place for a New Beginning

[Juice 641]

 

"Interesting, it's exactly how I remembered."
The first thoughts that come to mind when Kristof Welch hops off the plane back to a familiar sight: His hometown.

Albeit being of Hungarian descent, there's nowhere quite like home like Whitehorse, Yukon where he grew up camping and attending many of bush parties. But like many people from small towns (although people from Whitehorse will always correct you that it's a city), the thoughts of grandeur always was on Kristof's mind. What goals and aspirations can you achieve if you're stuck in a town where the most exciting part of the year is when the local hunters bring back moose meat to make into jerky?

 

So Kristof did what anyone would do if they had the time and money, he traveled. From country to country and continent and continent, he went as far as he could and as much as his eyes would let him take in. And up until a few years ago, his eyes would always want more. That was until he found himself back in his birth country of Hungary. There, he felt a sense of pride of where he came from. From the culture, the history, the cuisine, the ladies, the beautiful countryside, and the beautiful main city of Budapest. One stop in the capital, and he cancelled all his future tickets. This was his new home, and he would find himself with a new found sense of relief to not be hopping from hostel to hostel during his travels, but to finally have his own bed and his own sheets to crawl into after a long day at the pub.

 

 

Now you may ask yourself, why do we find ourselves with Kristof going back to Whitehorse? That dead end, insignificant winter hellscape that he tried so hard to escape?

 

One reason and one alone, his passion for hockey. If there was one thing to get through the 20 hours of darkness during the winter, it was hitting up the local rinks for some pick up hockey with his usual pals and every now and again someone new. Although he never played professionally in any sense, he played like someone who's studied the game in and out for years and years. He wasn't (and still isn't) the biggest defender on the ice, but he played with speed and finesse, and will always be the guy you can count on to make a breakout pass up the ice from your own zone.

 

So even being happier than he ever could be in Hungary, there was always a piece missing. If there's one thing Hungary is known for, it definitely is not hockey. And if there's one thing that would drive someone mad, it's not being able to keep up with your passion. So when Kristof got the call that a team actually moved to the Yukon and personally reached out to him to play, even if it was for only one period, one game, or one season, he knew he had to tie up the laces once again.