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I-Slam Hockey is a non-profit charity ball-hockey league that offers Muslims of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) an opportunity to play in a safe and highly-competitive environment. Using an entry-draft system to disseminate players onto each team and fostering an environment of mutual respect, I-Slam Hockey is intended to bring Muslim adults and youths together on and off the playing surface.
In January 2008, I-Slam Hockey started thanks to the efforts of several people. Nauman Abbasi and Sadegh Rasoul spearheaded the efforts with a common vision of a ball-hockey league for Muslims that brought the very best - both hockey-talent and a high standard of personal conduct - together. Kashif Taqiuddin, Zuhair Fancy, Ibrahim Hindy and Fuzail Thakur all helped bring the dream to reality through their hard work.
In July 2009, Khalil Khokhar joined to help further develop and grow the league in terms of website development. Most of his work and effort comes in the back-end of the website which helps maintain the league's historical statistics and data entry.
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In March 2010, Naiem Malik took upon the role of coordinating Youth teams to compete in the Ontario Ball Hockey Association (OBHA) leagues. By giving youth the ability to learn the sport of ball hockey at an early age, it's believed that they will be even better capable to tackle life's challenges both on and off the playing surface.
In September 2010, Nour Kaiss joined the league in coordinating Women's Hockey efforts and helping serve a segment of the market that has long been under-served. By giving Muslim women an opportunity to play the sport of ball hockey in a comfortable environment, Muslim women would be able to enjoy the sport that their male counterparts have had the pleasure of playing for years.
In October 2010, Akber Jilany joined the league in coordinating Men's Ice Hockey efforts and helping lay the groundwork of I-Slam Hockey's evolutionary step into the realm of ice. The intention is to one day grow the ice hockey aspect of I-Slam Hockey into a full league able to serve Muslims with a competitive effort.
In August 2011, Nauman Abbasi stepped down as I-Slam Hockey President with Ibrahim Hindy ascending to the position. Abbasi served as part of the Board of Directors for I-Slam Athletics but stepped down in March 2013 to move on to other endeavours.
Each of these individuals has been vital to the league's success thus far and has committed numerous hours of their time to making I-Slam Hockey the torchbearer of Muslim Athletics. However, I-Slam Hockey's success is built upon those who take part. We expect every person to treat I-Slam Hockey not as a league that they participate in but in THEIR league that they themselve are responsible for. This means that each person must take ownership over making I-Slam Hockey the best that it can be through their own actions, through teaching and encouraging others the right way and taking pride for being part of I-Slam Hockey.
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Finally, all praise is to Allah (SWT) for making I-Slam Hockey as successful as it has been. May Allah (SWT) continue to bless the league and those who take part in it. Ameen.
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I-Slam Hockey has made great strides within the Muslim community of the Greater Toronto Area since its start in January 2008. Bringing together members of our community despite which denomination of Islam they may belong to, the community has raised a whopping $18,000 for charities through four seasons!
The Hospital for Sick Children ($12,500)
Over a span of two seasons, I-Slam Hockey was able to generate $10,000 towards The Hospital for Sick Children's famed Research Tower Project. This state-of-the-art facility will be home to some of Canada's brightest doctors and researchers working towards treatments and cures for illnesses that affect millions of children from all over the world. With Ridha's victory in Tier-2 of Season IV, another $2,500 was donated to this project.
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North American Muslim Foundation ($1,400)
Widely recognized across Canada and the United States for their humanitarian and social causes, the North American Muslim Foundation has been helping Muslims across the globe with relief efforts, orphan sponsorship and more. I-Slam Hockey's $1,400 contribution from its first season of ball hockey was put towards general humanitarian efforts as coordinated by NAMF.
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Muslim Athletic Academy ($3,500)
A partner organization of I-Slam Athletics that started in 2010, the Muslim Athletic Academy is committed to instilling the ideals of a healthy lifestyle and a positive attitude in young children in the Greater Toronto Area. I-Slam Hockey's $1,000 sponsorship has allowed the organization to purchase additional equipment and resources for children to use at their mini-camps. With Ikhlas' victory in Tier-1 of Season IV, another $2,500 was donated to further grow the program.
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Islamic Relief - Pakistan Flood Efforts ($500)
Under the leadership of I-Slam Hockey participant and sponsor Osman Buttar, I-Slam Hockey donated $500 towards Islamic Relief's relief efforts for the flood-ravaged regions of Pakistan in July 2010. The charitable donation would come as part of a larger effort made by the Muslim ball hockey community of the Greater Toronto Area resulting in an astonishing $72,000 being raised for relief efforts. Great work, Osman!
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Other ($100)
Under the leadership of I-Slam Hockey participant Usama Mahmood, I-Slam Hockey donated $100 towards an underprivileged family from the Greater Toronto Area who underwent some very difficult times due to illness and sudden deaths. The family, a mother with several young children, continues to face difficulty but through Usama's efforts, the family is benefiting. Great work, Usama!
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I-Slam Hockey, committed to making a positive difference in the world through the help of all of its participants, now looks forward to Season V where another $5,000 donation will be made. With each of the league's teams representing a particular charity, the question now rests on which charities will be the benefactor of the charitable amount. It all comes down to who can step up to deliver championship success!
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