Fifth annual Scotland’s Yard Road Hockey Classic brings local hockey and health communities together

Hockey players across Waterloo Region gathered in Waterloo on Saturday to battle for several causes at the fifth annual Scotland’s Yard Road Hockey Classic.

Kids and adults alike hit the pavement behind Medical Centre 2 at The Boardwalk in Waterloo, Ont. as they took part in the fifth annual Scotland’s Yard Road Hockey Classic.

The tournament was born after Scotland Santos, a local six-year-old girl, was diagnosed with cancer when she was three months old.

This news forced the Santos family to jump between London, Hamilton, and Toronto for treatment, care, and check-ups.

After becoming disgruntled by the extensive travel, the Santos family decided to start a campaign on the homefront.

“The mission was simple… to bring a kids care closer to home,” Brian Santos, Scotland Santos’ father, said. “If a kid is needing treatment or any type of care, (they) can get it right here in our community… Waterloo Region. That’s what trying to do here, is just bring care closer to home.”

Participants got the chance to play alongside many pro and semi-pro hockey players, including Mike Hoffman, Tanner Pearson, Loren Gabel, Adam Graves, Gabe Chiarot, Justin Ertel, Matthew Sop, Ian Robinson, Carson Campbell, Avry Anstis, Stevie Leskovar, Matthew Miller, and Sutton Maltby.

This year’s campaign remained centred around pediatrics, with a goal in equipment and personnel.

“We’re raising funds for an (pediatric) echocardiogram, we’re recruiting a second pediatric cardiologist,” Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) CEO Doug Earle said. “The clinic that specializes in kids and the heart conditions saw almost 500 patients last year… our goal is to double that with the recruitment of a new cardiologist, and it’s events like this that make it possible.”

The event has raised over $1 million since it’s inception, with a $200,000 target for it’s 2026 instalment.

Sarah Young, WRHN’s clinical manager of pediatrics, spoke to now the money was not the only way support was felt.

“It means everything for us to have the community support. Walking in here today and seeing the number of people here, I was stunned. It’s so nice to see the amount of support that comes out here to support kids care in the Kitchener-Waterloo region,” she said.

As of Sunday evening, over $90,000 had been raised, with donations still being accepted.