Ex-Perth teen breaks ice Down Under

Dec 17 2010 by Denis Brown, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

WHEN relocating Down Under from Perth seven years ago, Tom Smail didn’t take long to break the ice.

Swiftly becoming mates with another Australian import – a Canadian lad – the athletic youngster got to grips with his new pal’s sport of choice and is now representing his adopted country.

The sport, however – ice hockey – means rather than soaking up the sun-kissed Aussie lifestyle, Tom (16) spends much of his time in sub-zero conditions at indoor ice rinks.

As does the teenager’s biggest supporter – his mum Joan Smail, a former Perth school nurse who moved to Western Australian (WA) with husband Martin and their sons, Tom and older sibling Donald.

In fact, running the West Coast Ice Hockey Association for the past three years, she probably spends more time shivering in the cold than she did back in Scotland.

“It’s pretty weird the amount of time I spend at rinks wrapped up in fleeces and boots,” she said.

“But if you get too cold, you can always step outside, peel off all your layers and within seconds are absolutely roasting.”

It will undoubtedly make readers green with envy to learn that while we’re dealing with sub-zero Artic conditions, the Smails are presently basking in a 32C to 36C heatwave.

The family made the move to Perth, WA – the most isolated city in the world – to make commuting easier for Martin, an offshore oil rig installation manager based in Asia.

“It used to take him two days to get home, but now it’s more like eight to 10 hours,” she said.

“I thought Australia would be like Majorca, but it’s nothing like it. We do have a pool though – everyone around here has a pool!”

Making pilgrimages ‘home’ to the Fair City every two years – including a visit this Christmas – Mrs Smail said she and her husband liked Australia but obviously missed their family and friends.

“We didn’t know a soul when we first got to WA,” she said.

“As we spend all our time at ice rinks, most of our pals are Canadian or Americans out here on three-year contracts, but we do have a group of Scottish friends as well.

“I don’t know why but you tend to be drawn to your own country-people.”

Down Under, former Viewlands Primary School pupil Tom befriended a similarly aged Canadian boy who had also moved to Australia due to his father’s job.

“He played ice hockey and got me into it,” explained Tom.

“I do surf casually, but not very well, and I played Aussie Rules for a few years but then gave it up. I was pretty good but not as good as some of the locals who play from a young age.”

However, having represented Western Australia six times at ice hockey, Tom has now been selected for the national 18-year side to play in next April’s world championships at Chinese Tapai.

As for what made him so formidable on ice, Tom put his success down to off-ice training.

“A lot of players just train on ice but I also go to the gym, which gives me that extra edge,” he said.