Coventry Blaze captain Jonathan Weaver will reach a personal milestone on Sunday night when Braehead Clan are the visitors to the Skydome for his 1,000th professional game.
The 33-year-old has enjoyed a fine career which has seen him play for Durham Wasps, Newcastle Cobras, Manchester Storm, Ayr Scottish Eagles, Hull Thunder, Fife Flyers, Newcastle Vipers and Coventry as well as Detroit Vipers and Mississippi Sea Wolves in America.
Weaver has won every major honour at club level - as well as a string of individual awards - and has also been a stand-out performer for the Great Britain national team, who he has represented at all levels.But a modest Weaver said: "It won't be any different for me, I will treat it as just another game."Yes the milestone is nice but the game is the most important thing and we need to win.
"When I started playing I never thought about milestones, you don't play the game for that. You play the game to enjoy it and to do the best you can and I just wanted to play for as long as I could.
"I think the night will mean more to my mum and dad but I am sure when I have stopped playing and look back I will be proud of what I have done."
Blaze duo in GB squad
Coventry Blaze netminder Tom Murdy and forward Robert Farmer have been named in the Great Britain Under-20 squad for the World Championships in Bobruisk,Belarus, next month.GB will face Belarus , Italy , Japan , Latvia and Ukraine in the six-team groupwith the tournament running from December 13-19.
Murdy and Farmer will miss the Elite League games against Sheffield Steelers,Hull Stingrays and Newcastle Vipers but will return to the line-up for theBoxing Day visit of Cardiff Devils to the Skydome.
Coach Paul Thompson said: "I am really pleased for them and they are there on merit. They are two young future prospects in the British game."
Meanwhile, Coventry won the Team of the Year accolade at the Coventry , Solihull& Warwickshire sports awards following their Elite League success last term.
Thompson added: "It's always nice to be recognised and to pick up an award. Itis a fantastic event they put on and it's a humbling night because it's not allabout the professionals, there are also great stories about people who do thingsfor the love of sport."