User:Jgreenbaum44/Benjamin Naimool

Benjamin Naimool
Benjamin Naimool (born September 22nd, 2001) is an African American, Canadian ice hockey player from Toronto, Ontario. Naimool Plays for Canisius College in the ACHA.

Playing Career
Naimool attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute (FHCI) and spent four years on their varsity hockey team. Naimool went on to captain the varsity hockey team at Forest Hill Collegiate Institute in 2018 and 2019. Naimool lead the FHCI Falcons to a city championship, and a third place finish in the provincial championship.

Naimool did not get drafted to the OHL so he continued his playing career in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) with the French River Rapids. Naimool struggled in his first season with French River, recording 19 points in 55 games.

After that season, Naimool joined the Potomac Patriots of the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) in 2021. Naimool had 17 points in 40 games and was given assistant captain honours.

After a strong season in Potomac, Naimool joined the Canisius College Golden Griffins for the 2022-2023 season and has had a career year. He has recorded 21 points in 27 games in one of the most competitive academic hockey leagues in the nation, the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA).

Naimool Will finish his degree in 2025 at Canisius College. He will then attempt to play professionally in Europe.

Personal Life
Naimool grew up in Toronto, Ontario. He has one brother, Aiden. Naimool's mother, Ruth, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. This greatly impacted Naimool. It was not until 2021 when Naimool heard the great news that Ruth had beaten the Cancer. This greatly impacted Naimool's play at the collegiate level.

Early Life/Racism
Growing up as a young black hockey player from Toronto, Ontario, came with racial discrimination and mistreatment

Naimool started playing hockey at the age of two. He started skating at three, and joined the tyke select team at Forest Hill one year early, at the age of five. Naimool dominated minor hockey and became one of the best young players in the Greater Toronto Area.

Naimool, born to his Black father, Nigel, and White mother, Ruth, battled with racism at an early age. Naimool would come to the rink wearing a suit and tie every game because he wanted to fit in. His parents made sure that he cut his curly hair short, and that he was extremely respectful on and off the ice. This was to ensure that he could not give anyone an excuse to tell him he did not belong

Naimool played on a predominately white team in a predominately white league. The North York Hockey League (NYHL) consisted of teams from midtown Toronto. When NaimooI was 9, he played a game against the Vaughn Rangers. Naimool scored a goal 30 seconds into the game and after he scored one of the players on the opposing team slashed him in the back of the leg and told him that he didn’t belong on the ice and that he should go play Basketball. That was one of many racist encounters Naimool had throughout his young career.