Gratitude for the game we love was the theme on a sombre night to celebrate a year of accomplishments.
Still mourning as a community and trying to make sense of the devastation felt across the nation in the wake of the Humboldt Broncos tragedy the Okotoks Oilers Athletic Association took time to honour a season to remember at its 2017-18 awards banquet, April 11 at the Foothills Centennial Centre.
“I was a Humboldt Bronco and my heart has been broken the last few days,” said Rockyview M-15 Raiders head coach Ken Plaquin in a speech to the room. “I found my Humboldt Strong years ago and I hope I passed some of that on to you.
“I’m just happy that our buses always made it where they wanted to go and where we needed it to be and wish nothing more than that for the rest of you for the rest of your hockey careers and for everybody. You realize how lucky we are as a group of players, as coaches and as parents. What a beautiful game this is, how close it can bring this country and the world.”
The recipient of the OOAA’s Ralph Brown Award, the lifetime achievement for longstanding volunteers echoed the sentiment.
“With everything that has gone on this past week it’s been tough for all of us,” said award recipient Dean Black. “I think the one thing we’ve got to do as adults, parents, coaches, volunteers is remember why we’re doing this, what we’re trying to teach the players and what we’re trying to give them.
“We’re trying to give them an opportunity to spend some time with the best friends they’re ever going to have, to let them experience telling stories, chirping at each other and playing the game they love.”
The Markus Lavallee Memorial Scholarship, in recognition of the former OOAA athlete who passed away in a vehicle accident in 2015, was presented to Okotokian Liam Watkins, a first-year centre for the Okotoks Bantam AAA Oilers, and Rockyview Raiders goaltender Logan Grant.
The award is presented to the player exemplifying Lavallee’s traits of dedication to family, team, community and personal development, on both of his former OOAA teams.
“When I read the criteria for it (Liam) popped into my head right away,” said Mike Glawson, Okotoks Bantam AAA Oilers head coach. “Liam is a kid I’ve got to know over the last couple years. Real genuine, down-to-earth, hard working, dedicated, committed and not somebody who’s looking for the spotlight.
“He does this stuff when the coach is watching, but more importantly when the coach is not watching.”
Grant, a multi-sport athlete with baseball in his repertoire, is well-known for his commitment on and off the ice.
“It was a pretty easy choice,” said Plaquin. “He’s a great guy, an elite goaltender, surprisingly good goaltender, way better than we would have hoped for, his stats are unbelievable.
“He volunteers a ton of his time in Chestermere coaching the younger goalies and players there.”
With regards to the spirit of volunteering, the Okotoks Peewee AA Black took the banner and ran with it as national finalists in the Good Deeds Cup for their work fundraising for the Mustard Seed in Calgary.
A season of new beginning saw the introduction of Midget AAA boys hockey in Okotoks with the Bow Mark Oilers.
Gibb Coady walked away the big winner as Top Scorer and MVP while Jaevon Buschlen took home the inaugural Bow Mark McArthur Award as the player who best exhibited sportsmanship.
In the Female ranks, the Rocky Mountain Raiders took stock of a season of highs from repeating at the Mac’s Midget Tournament to near misses as provincial silver medallists.
OOAA alumnus and current Calgary Hitmen defenceman Dakota Krebs was the keynote speaker and shared his journey of highs and lows, from injuries, to missing out on the WHL Draft all the way until grinding his way into a significant role as a third-year skater in the Dub.
Krebs emphasized controlling what you can control, work ethic, attitude and coachability.
Awards
MVP
Peewee Green – Will Harris; Peewee Black – Jacob Semeniuk; Bantam Elite – Brooklyn LeDuc; Bantam AA – J.J. Pickell; Bantam AAA – Kai Uchacz; Midget Elite – Lindsay Aitken; M15 Raiders – Max Kathol; Midget AA – Andrew Bonham; Midget AAA Raiders – Breanne Trotter; Bow Mark Oilers – Gibb Coady.
Top Scorer
Peewee Green – Caleb Lepitre; Peewee Black – Caden Kemkaran-Humble; Bantam Elite – Raquel Ingram; Bantam AA – Hayden Pakkala; Bantam AAA – Kai Uchacz; Midget Elite – Kas Kingston; M15 Raiders – Moe Hakim; Midget AA – Levi Young, Chris Showalter; Midget AAA Raiders – Nicole Fry; Bow Mark Oilers – Gibb Coady.
Top Defenceman
Peewee Green – Will Harris, Peewee Black – Brandon de Haas; Bantam Elite – Abbey Bordandy; Bantam AA – Avery Greig; Bantam AAA – Dru Krebs; Midget Elite – Kas Kingston; M15 Raiders – Lucas Watkins; Midget AA – Luc Thorimbert; Midget AAA Raiders – Emma Borbandy; Bow Mark Oilers – Connor Bertamini.
Most Improved Player
Peewee Green – Kylie Soloveoff; Peewee Black - Jack Hefferan; Bantam Elite – Keana McKibbin; Bantam AA – Braedon LeGrandeur; Bantam AAA – Cyle Clayton; Midget Elite – Elizabeth Campbell; M15 Raiders – Owen George; Midget AA – Liam Bartlett; Midget AAA Raiders – Mallory Dyer; Bow Mark Oilers – Anson McMaster.
Oiler/Raider Award
Peewee Green – Hunter Cobb; Peewee Green – Mateo Johnston; Bantam Elite – Olivia Bailer; Bantam AA – Carter Grobowsky; Bantam AAA – Liam Watkins; Midget Elite – Shaye Parkinson; M15 Raiders – Ethan McKibbin; Midget AA – Kyle Schneider; Midget AAA Raiders – Laura Jardin; Bow Mark Oilers – Joel Krahenbil.
Bow Mark McArthur Award – Jaevon Buschlen.
Markus Lavallee Memorial Scholarship – Liam Watkins, Logan Grant.
SCAHL Top Defenceman – Will Harris.
SCAHL Most Sportsmanlike – Jacob Semeniuk.
Volunteer of the Year – Randy Partaker
Ralph Brown Award – Dean Black
Overage acknowledgements – Lindsay Aitken, Emma Borbandy, Breanne Trotter, Kara Kondrat, Nathan Bailer, Kale Clouston, Jackson Kobelka, Zach Huber, Joel Krahenbil, Hunter Maximnuk, Jackson Salt, Noah Wakeford, Jason Scheible, Tyler Strath, Tyson Terretta, Luc Thorimbert.
