For 18-year-old Gannon Karmire of Holly Springs, hockey isn't just a way to pass the time or something to list on a college application.

It's a life-long passion that let him travel across the globe this month.

Karmire returned Monday from Roccaraso, Italy, where he helped the United States junior inline hockey team capture the silver medal in the sixth annual FIRS Junior World Inline Hockey championships.

The six-day event featured the top 14 teams in the world, and it marked the second consecutive silver for the United States, who beat France 2-0 in the semifinals.

The Czech Republic claimed their third straight gold with a 12-1 victory over the U.S. team.

"The hockey experience was incredible," Karmire said. "Playing against players from all over the world and making tons of friends. ... I really can't stress enough how great all the people were at the tournament."

Karmire, who has been playing ice hockey since he was 5, began inline hockey at the age of 11, at first as a way to keep active with his favorite sport during the summer months.

As time passed, the Cary High School senior found himself invited to more and more inline tournaments from Maine to California, which helped him hone his skills.

In May, Karmire went to the national tryouts held in Pennsylvania and secured one of the 14 spots on the 2011 team.

Karmire's friend and Wilmington resident J.T. Roehrs Jr. was the other member of the team from the state.

Karmire is a versatile player, capable of starting at forward or defense.

He hopes to attend an in-state university. And he has been devoted to hockey since his father, John Karmire, introduced him to the sport over a dozen years ago.

"Kids that play hockey are as disciplined as any sport there is," John Karmire said. "They are self-driven, self-motivated and very respectful."

John Karmire is a North Carolina National Guard helicopter pilot, so the family has moved around some since Gannon was born in Indiana.

The Karmires moved to North Carolina in 2004. Gannon has played for several area hockey teams, including the Raleigh Youth Hockey Association and the East Coast Eagles junior team.

Although ice hockey is not part of the N.C. High School Athletic Association offerings, area high schools do have some inline hockey teams that compete during the winter months.

The world stage

In the FIRS championships, the teams played a round-robin format initially with those in their group. The top two teams in each of the four groups then faced off in the medal round.

The United States defeated Brazil 7-1, Columbia 6-4 and Germany 6-2 in the round robin.

The U.S. then won the rematch with Columbia 4-1 in the first medal game, guaranteeing themselves no worse than a silver medal with the shutout against the French, who eventually captured the bronze.

"The game against France was exhilarating," Gannon Karmire said. "That was the first team that really came close to us, and we knew if we didn't score we were out (of the running for gold and silver)."

Karmire explained that after the U.S. got the game's first goal, the team was able to force its opponent into playing faster and undisciplined.

Karmire acknowledged the gold medal game was tough. Considering that NHL standouts have formerly played on the Czech inline hockey team, just getting on the same floor with them was exciting.

"Playing against a team of that caliber is almost a pleasure," said Karmire, who was able to trade jerseys with one of the Czech players at the concluding ceremony. "The goalie we played against is going to the NHL next year (to play for the Montreal Canadiens), and last year four of their players were drafted (by the NHL)."

It was Gannon's first time in Europe, and he said his touring the Vatican was one of the most memorable experiences he's ever had.

It was a trip he said he won't soon forget, thanks to a sport he's stuck with for years.