Botany Swarm
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Wikipedia - Botany Swarm
The Botany Swarm is a semi-professional ice hockey team based in East Auckland, New Zealand. The team is a member of the New Zealand Ice Hockey League (NZIHL). The team was founded in 2005 as the South Auckland Swarm. Their name was changed prior to the 2007 season due to it being similar to one of the other teams and to better reflect the area in Auckland where their home rink is located (in the suburb of Botany Downs). They play their home games out of the Paradice Ice Skating Botany Rink known as The Hive.
History
2017 Season
7 May 2017, the Swarm announced that after 11 seasons, head coach Andreas Kaißer has stepped down, and will be replaced by former Swarm alumnus Brandon Contratto. However due to personal reasons Brandon was unable to commit to the role. Former assistant coach Jeff Boehme took the role of head coach for the 2017 season.
The Botany Swarm welcomed four new imports for the 2017 season: Petr Zítka from the Czech Republic, Ryan Widmar from Illinois, Maximilian Hadraschek from Germany and Alex Mitsionis from Ohio.
2018 Season
10 December 2017, the Swarm announced that Ian Wannamaker was appointed as the new head coach. Ian Wannamaker played for the Botany Swarm from 2007-2015 and represented New Zealand from 2010-2013, 2015.
23 December 2017, the Swarm announced that assistant coach of the Kelowna Rockets Travis Crickard was appointed as the new assistant coach.
The Botany Swarm welcomed four new imports for the 2018 season: Declan Weir an Irish Canadian, Harry Ferguson from Scotland, Colin Langham from Georgia and Lucas Bombardier from Vermont.
26 May 2018, Alexandr Polozov played his 100th game for the Botany Swarm against the Canterbury Red Devils.
9 June 2018, Jordan Challis played his 150th game for the Botany Swarm against the Dunedin Thunder.
21 July 2018, Logan Fraser played his 50th game for the Botany Swarm against the Dunedin Thunder.
5 August 2018, The Botany Swarm had their 200th NZIHL game.
2019 Season
22 February 2019, Travis Crickard appointed Botany Swarm General Manager/CEO.
24 February 2019, Joel Rindelaub appointed Botany Swarm Interim Assistant General Manager.
The Botany Swarm welcomed four new imports for the 2019 season: Andrea Ricca from Italy, Corey McEwen born in Cardiff and now living in Toronto, Corey Morgan from New Jersey and Daniel Iasenza from Montreal.
11 May 2019, Michelle Cox appointed Botany Swarm Head Coach.
9 June 2019, Andrew Hay played his 200th game for the Botany Swarm against the West Auckland Admirals.
2021 Season
The roster included goaltender Grace Harrison, one of only two women competing in the league.
The Botany Swarm is known for its fast-paced and aggressive style of play, which is supported by a strong defensive strategy. The team's players are highly skilled and dedicated, with a passion for the sport that is evident in their performance on the ice.
The team's home arena is the Paradice Ice Skating Rink in Botany Downs, Auckland. The arena is known for its state-of-the-art facilities and provides an exciting atmosphere for fans to watch the Botany Swarm in action.
The Botany Swarm is a team that is deeply rooted in the community, with a strong focus on developing young talent and promoting the sport of ice hockey in New Zealand. The team's commitment to excellence both on and off the ice has earned them a loyal fan base and a reputation as one of the top ice hockey teams in the country.