June was coming to an end and the ice rink in Nashville was being prepped for another tournament game. The atmosphere was cold—but the hearts of many were warm.
The weekend of June 27, 2025, was filled with Armenian pride and camaraderie for the team Ararat Hockey Club and its 14 players. This dream had been months in the making. Since October 2024, Dallas-based Armenian Greg Dekirmenjian had been working to assemble a team of like-minded and skilled players, ages 11 to 12, who could compete and represent our nation.
Many phone calls were made to communities and churches across the country. Though hockey is a niche sport within the Armenian community, Dekirmenjian found a head coach: Andy Gevorgyan of Los Angeles, who helped recruit players and coach the team. This would be the inaugural season for the Armenian youth hockey club.
Now, the team and tournament locations were set: Ararat Hockey Club would compete at the Music City Cup in Nashville, Tennessee. But how would these young boys play together when most are meeting for the first time? Exactly how our ancestors accepted challenges: to rise above, persevere and conquer, no matter what may lie ahead.
Armenian families from all over North America—Los Angeles, Boston, Dallas, Calgary and Toronto—flew into Nashville, unaware of how the weekend would unfold. But the families clicked, bonded and formed friendships for a lifetime. Armenian music was played all weekend—by the poolside, in the hockey rinks and inside the hotel.
The Ararat Hockey Club team and its coaches in the Nashville hockey arena
The players showed resilience and grit on the ice, ultimately earning a spot in the championship game. Though they came short of the gold, there was no shortage of talented players. The boys took home silver—representing not a lost nation, but one whose last names and culture would be remembered within the hockey community. Who, after all, can forget the tricolor flags waving from the bleachers or Armenian music blaring during warmups and the medal presentation in country music’s capital?
As the weekend concluded, it was evident that the goal of bringing together a group of proud Armenian hockey players had been met. Parents and players lingered in front of the rink, unwilling to part with their new friends.
The future on the ice seems bright and cool as Ararat Hockey Club looks forward to reuniting next summer and, once again, representing our enduring nation.
This article was written by Tamar Bederian Dekirmenjian
Guest contributions to the Armenian Weekly are informative articles or press releases written and submitted by members of the community.
