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Barry Troke wasn't sure what to make of the mysterious envelope he had been handed.

Following a tournament last year in Bashaw, Alta. 鈥� in which his son Ryan was competing as captain for the Peewee B Mustangs 鈥� Troke was handed an envelope by longtime hockey scout and Bashaw resident

Peter Lumir, with instructions to open it in private.

What happened from there is a tale of adventure and personal growth for the Trokes.

Ryan received an invite to try out for the Canadian AAA Explorers, and successfully made the team after a camp in Ponolka, Alta. last August.

The team recently competed in the Canadian AAA Explorers International Hockey Exchange, which includes tournaments in three European countries.

Now 13, Ryan was the only Yukon player selected to the team organized by Lumir, who scouts and picks the club from amongst players in Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C. and the Yukon.

Ryan and his parents, Barry and Angie, recently travelled to Europe for a two-week, three-tournament schedule that included games in Germany, the Czech Republic and Switzerland.

Ryan 鈥� a first-year forward with the Bantam A Mustangs this season 鈥� returned home with two bronze finishes, a Finnish opponent's hockey jersey, and memories that will last a lifetime.

The Grade 8 student at F.H. Collins said suiting up for Canada meant a lot.

"It's definitely a lifetime memory,鈥� he told the Star.

He scored five goals in the 22 games played overseas, and had many more assists in a second and third line role for the Explorers.

The team started their hockey tour with a three-day tournament in F眉ssen, Germany. Eventually, the team took home bronze, shutting out a Slovakian team 3-0 in the F眉ssen Cup 2013.

The Explorers went on to travel to Most, Czech Republic, where they finished fourth in the Easter Cup.

The tour ended in Switzerland, where the Canadians won a bronze trophy for their third-place finish in the Swiss Central Cup 2013.

Following their games, the Canadian players were often swarmed for autographs by fans and opponents eager to see players from the same country as Pittsburgh Penguins 麻豆社区Sidney Crosby.

Other differences in the European game that Ryan noticed were certain arenas with netting in lieu of glass, some helmet-less referees, and benches with just one gate. Games played in the Swiss Cup saw scores reset in-between the two periods.

The trip marked two decades for the AAA Explorers tour.

The journey was about much more than what happened inside the arena, Barry said.

During their off-time, the club was able to tour castles, cathedrals, a protected village and even an "eye-opening鈥� WWII concentration camp in the Czech Republic.

"Overall, I think that's what the players took away from the trip,鈥� said Barry, adding that the personal growth his son experienced was unexpected.

"I am so proud of him for making a team like that,鈥� he said. "He wanted this, he put his all into it and he earned it.鈥�

Barry said he believes his son was selected by Lumir to experience the privately-run program because of his work ethic and dedication to being a team player.

"Every kid wore that jersey proudly,鈥� added mom Angie. "They were proud to be on that Canadian team.鈥�