Lodnia is the son of Wildcats Coach Konstantin Lodnia, who owns the KHS Ice Arena in Anaheim.
The Russia trip will be a collection of some of the top youth hockey players, some of whom, like Chmelevski, got started at a young age. His parents are from the Ukraine but dad Vitaly, who also coaches, was more of a soccer player. But, before he turned 2 years old, Sasha was already on the ice.
“He just let me touch the ice a little bit,” said Sasha Chmelevski, who attends Hope View Elementary. “Then, after a couple months I started skating by myself. I got used to it.”
He’s plenty used to it now. Sasha said two years ago, he went to Russia to play in a tournament organized by former pro Igor Larionov. Last month, the center went to the prestigious Brick tournament, for the top North American players born in 1999. Chmelevski helped the California 99s reach the semifinals for the first time since 2003, and he led the tournament with 13 points (three goals, 10 assists).
And it’s Gibbons’ job to stop opposing players like his friend.
The goalie, who goes to Seacliff Elementary, has already shown he can do just that on a high level. He won the Ace Bailey National Skills Competition recently in New York City. Gibbons had to defeat 11 other top travel goalies, regional winners from around the country, in rapid-fire and shootout drills.
There’s few things that get Gibbons rattled, even at a competition like that. He said not even on a breakaway will he panic.
More than the ice on the rink, he needs ice in his veins.
“I don’t want to feel nervous,” Gibbons said. “Our coach says if you’re nervous, your feet will stop moving.”
