Sticking with their passion

Taking a closer look at the profiles of the men's ice hockey team representing Thailand at the ongoing 9th Asian Winter Games, one can easily discern their diverse backgrounds from their names and faces.

Sweden, Switzerland and the United States are among the countries where some of Thailand's pucksters were first introduced to the sport.

Ken Kindborn, 29, the team captain, is of Swedish and Thai descent.

"We love our motherland. We may grow up or study elsewhere, but in the end, we come back. Despite our diverse backgrounds, we are all Thai," said Kindborn.

At 6, he moved with his family to Sweden, which is where he first picked up a hockey stick.

"My dad took me to the ice rink there, and I never looked back. I have loved ice hockey since that very first experience," recalled Kindborn.

He was drawn to the fast-paced and fierce nature of ice hockey games.

In his view, playing ice hockey also pushes him to become a better person.

"I have to be disciplined on and off the ice. To perform better on the ice, I need to develop better dietary and lifestyle habits," he explained.

"It's a team sport; I feel that the team is like a big family. I grew up with people around me all the time," he said.

Thailand currently has no professional ice hockey league. However, Kindborn and his teammates still embrace the sport with great passion, despite not receiving any financial reward.

Kim Aarola and Ken Kindborn of Thailand battle with Republic of Koreas Lee Moo-young for the puck during a mens ice hockey group match at the 9th Asian Winter Games on Saturday. ROK won the match 10-0. XINHUA

Kindborn coaches junior ice hockey enthusiasts in Bangkok and practices with fellow national team players three times a week.

The players have to manage their commitments to both national team events and their respective jobs.

Kindborn's teammates, Patrick Forstner and Thanachai Sakchaicharoenkul, better known as Kin, both work in the entertainment industry, so finding balance is even more challenging.

Thanachai Sakchaicharoenkul (left) and Patrick Forstner are enjoying their time in Harbin. XING WEN/CHINA DAILY

Forstner began playing ice hockey at a young age in Austria because he found it to be "one of the coolest sports".

He previously played for Austria's youth national team, but eight years ago, he moved to Thailand and made the switch to represent the country, currently ranked No. 43 in the world, at the senior level.

Now 31 years old, he is also an actor and model.

"For me, even after working 12 or 13 hours a day, I still make time to practice with the team at the ice rink," Forstner stated.

"If sacrificing some sleep means I can compete in the Asian Winter Games, I am willing to make that sacrifice because my passion lies in the sport."

In contrast to the others, Kin, a 20-year-old Chinese Thai, cut his teeth on the ice rinks of tropical Thailand.

Kin explained how he was inspired by senior players like Forstner: "I grew up watching these guys play and seeing them represent the national team, I just wanted to be a part of it."

Kin was a three-time ice hockey champion in the Southeast Asia Youth Cup from 2017 to 2019.

He is also an emerging singer and actor in Thailand.

Last year, the fantasy romance drama The Hidden Moon in which he starred, even garnered him a group of Chinese fans.

The two Thai celebrities have also helped promote the winter sport in their homeland, as many of their fans flock to their games and post video clips of ice hockey on their social media.

The pair also found that being ice hockey players could help them with their TV careers. "All my confidence comes from my sports experience. Being able to speak in front of people comes from the locker room. It all started since I was a kid playing in youth ice hockey games," said Forstner.

Often starring in action movies, the sport also helps him maintain a good physical condition.

"I learned from playing ice hockey how to handle pressure. When I am on TV, there is also a lot of pressure. The experience as an athlete helps me handle it much better," Kin added.

On Friday, they walked around in the cold temperatures of Harbin for over two hours. Kin shared photos on his Instagram account, which has more than 130,000 followers.

"Harbin has been doing a great job hosting this event. It's interesting to see the city covered in snow," he said.

"I think this event is creating a lot of friendships. It looks like we are yelling at each other on the ice, fighting against each other. Even though we got our butt kicked, it's fun to play against high-level teams here," said Forstner.

Xing Wen

China Daily

Asia News Network