Two graduates of Okotoks minor hockey got a first-hand experience of what it means to be Humboldt strong. Okotoks’ Jackson Kobelka and DeWinton’s Owen Guenter were in the opening night lineup as the Humboldt Broncos took to the ice for their Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League season opener on Sept. 12, the team’s first game since the tragic bus crash in April. “It was a really crazy game, a game not many players get to play,” said Kobelka, a 2018 graduate of Foothills Composite. “I was so fortunate to be able to play in that game. It was an awesome experience. “As soon as I got on the ice for warm-up I said ‘hey it’s game time’ and we were able to get into game mode I found and we got off to a pretty good start.” The crowd was given a huge lift when alternate captain Michael Clarke scored the opening goal on a nice set-up by Guenter on the powerplay. The Nipawin Hawks held on for the 2-1 victory. The contest was broadcasted nationally on TSN with tributes to the victims of the tragedy shown throughout the event on television. Following the game the Broncos held a moving on-ice ceremony honouring everyone that was on the bus. All those that skated in the game, both Hawks and Broncos, stayed on the bench to take in the emotional memorial. “They did a really good job of just trying to keep us focused on the game itself with everything else that was after. We all took the time to reflect on what had happened, it was a great experience and difficult at time as well,” Kobelka said. “There was a lot of different circumstances and it was more high pressure I would say, but they preached the idea that it was just a normal hockey game and that’s what they were trying to keep us focused towards. “ Guenter, the former captain of the Okotoks Bantam AAA Oilers, was acquired in a June trade from the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Olds Grizzlys. The 1998-born centre had 33 points last season in Olds. Kobelka got on the Broncos radar while skating with the Bow Mark Midget AAA Oilers at the Mac’s Midget tournament in December and built a strong relationship with head scout Jamie Armitage. He attended spring camp in May and made the team out of main camp. “I decided in early August this year that I was going to come out here and try to crack the squad,” Kobelka said. “If you asked me before everything that happened I was probably going to come here and the only second thought I had was the coach (Nathan Oystrick) had never seen me because at the time of the camp the coach hadn’t been hired yet. “It was really their head scout, he was a really big supporter of me and got me to come here. I thought it was going to be a really cool place to play, it’s a very different year than most, but we’re moving past that and focusing on hockey.” With the exception of returning forwards Derek Patter and Brayden Camrud, everyone is new to the Humboldt program including first-year head coach and general manager Nathan Oystrick. “We’re trying to create a family, trying to build a bond with everybody, we’re a pretty tight knit group already,” Kobelka said. “As a team we’re growing, becoming a lot closer. That’s the main goal for us. “I think we’re going to be more of a skilled team this year. We have a fast team, we’re going to play with speed and pace. The one thing our coach preaches on is we want to compete all the time and that’s what we’re going to do show up to the rink every night and compete.” They have the full backing and support of the central Saskatchewan town of 6,000 people, and the rest of the nation will certainly be cheering them on as well. “The community has been awesome, they’re all on our side, doing everything they can to help us out,” Kobelka said. “They’re respectful with everything, they’ve been awesome. “I have no complaints at all, they’ve been probably the best, nicest people ever.”
