The Salaam Cup
Before Safi Habib and Farhan Baig -- organizers of this prestigious tournament -- even thought about developing such an event, only one element was pondered upon extensively,
What should be the primary focus and symbol of this event that participants, fans and the members of the community can look forward to seeing and achieving?
The National Hockey League possesses the Stanley Cup, the Olympics have the Gold Medal and the Masters Golf Classic has the Green Jacket. With this in mind, and many months designing and investigating manufacturers, the Salaam Cup was born.
The name "Salaam" was attached for the mere fact that this term -- which translates to Peace in the Arabic language -- is a major symbol of the religion of Islam and is uttered every time during a greeting by every Muslim around the globe.
As-Salaam-Walaikum -- Peace be to You
The cup was crafted to be the focal point of the event and standing at over 4 feet tall, this feature is easily achieved. The Salaam Cup enables the Muslim community to unite in a manner by bringing them all to one event to compete for the most prized grails in Muslim Athletics. Only through the Graces of Allah (SWT) this trophy was produced and only through His Grace, a select few will have their names attached to it for many years.
Salaam Sports takes pride in honouring those individuals that have worked hard in the community to better the environment for not only themselves, but for the people around them. For that, the Salaam Cup tournament recognizes them for their tireless efforts due to their achievements. Here are the awards handed out at this prestigious event.
CLICK HERE TO SEE AWARD WINNERS
The Salaam Cup Most Valuable Player Awards
At the Salaam Cup, we hand out not just one MVP award, but two as the work put forth by an individual on the runner-up team should also be recognized. These players have made a positive impact on the floor for their team to get to the championship finals and this award could be due to what transpired in the final game or can also be due to what took place over the course of the whole tournament.
The Salaam Cup Pool B Champions
In 2010, the Salaam Cup introduced the Pool B division that addresses the wide gap in skill level in the Muslim ball hockey community. Even though it is a lower division, it still provides a high level of intensity and excitement and it is a welcome addition to the tournament format.
Mohamed Naim Malik Memorial Awards
Along with the Salaam Cup Lifetime Achievement award, families from the Richmond Hill have gotten together to donate two awards named after one of their community's leader in volunteer work and dedication to making their locality a joyous place to live. Mohamed Naim Malik has won countless prestigous awards and accolades from the municipality of York Region for his work and also the hearts of many others. Two individuals displaying brotherhood and "Ikraam" helpfulness will be the recipients of this award so the legacy and name of Mr. Malik lives on. Mr. Malik passed away in April of 2011 due to a lengthy battle with Cancer.
Salaam Sports Lifetime Achievement Award
The Salaam Sports Lifetime Achievement Trophy was designed to be awarded to someone in the community that has contributed positively to the sport of ball hockey in the Muslim community.
Junior Salaam Cup Youngstars Classic Tournament
The Muslim ball hockey participation wasn't just limited to the young adults and older generation players. Kids as young as 10 years old were starting to play in leagues and have full rink experience. In 2010, the Salaam Cup brought out the Youngstars Classic showcasing some of the youngest and brightest stars in the Muslim community in an annual tournament.
