North Stars hold year-end banquet

“I don’t want it to be the end [of the year]. You truly grow to care about them.”

Given the events this past Friday with the Humboldt Broncos, lots has been put into perspective.

Heck began his speech at the banquet with offering his thoughts once more.

“The boys thoughts and the coaching staff and the organization are with Humboldt. Can’t reiterate that enough,” he said.

It’s also important to remember that the tragedy has affected the entire league, as many friendships were shared across the SJHL.

While it’s been tough for the North Stars, Heck reminded the group to keep leaning on one another, as they have done all weekend.

“When you hear the stories of our guys hanging together and comforting each other, it makes me proud to see what great people we have, not just great hockey players,” Heck said to the group. “I’m proud of the people you are more than the hockey players you are.”

Specific thanks went out from Heck to many people in the organization, from the board, to the team’s pastor Perry Neufeld, to office manager Caitlyn Gray, to the billet families.

Two thank you’s stood out: For athletic therapist Rachelle Matisz and assistant coach Boyd Wakelin.

It was announced that Matisz will not be returning to the club next fall, as she is going back to school to become a nurse.

“This one is extremely important to me. Went over and above. She made up schedules to keep us organized. Kept me sane. Kept Boyd [Wakelin] sane. Took care of the players,” Heck said. “There were some road trips we’d get back at five in the morning and I’m sleeping in till 9 a.m. to get there, and Rachelle has already been back after an hour and a half, two hours of sleep, doing laundry and then staying the rest of the day.

“She truly doesn’t get the recognition she deserves. We’ve dealt with a lot of injuries this year and her expertise and care helped get guys back playing sooner than others. It’s going to be impossible to replace her.”

Heck specifically gave Wakelin credit for speaking his mind, which he said isn’t always easy to do in an assistant coaching role.

“Sometimes it’s easier just to agree, but he truly said what he thought and created conversation,” Heck said. “For those who don’t know, we’d get back from a trip… at one in the morning and Boyd was at work at 5:30 in the morning. Would work, get to practice, go back to work and then stop back at the rink if needed. I don’t know where he gets the energy from. He drinks a lot of coffee but that guy, he cares. He’s so competitive. He’s another one that kept me sane.”

Finally, Heck thanked the players.

He said he learned a lot from them, first about how much losing was unacceptable, and also about playing through pain and putting it all on the line.

“One of my first lessons came third game of the year and we lost to Estevan in overtime,” Heck said. “We got a point out of it, not a big deal and I go back in the locker room and our players are fired up. They are angry. I’m like, ‘Holy. We play the next night against Melville and it’s time to get over it.’ I go back in the office and… we’re talking it out and I go back in the locker room and I see Troy [Gerein] there and he’s not letting it go. From that day on, the message was losing is so unacceptable.

“I think that message for me and our young guys kind of led the way on that.”

Young, who will be playing for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, said it’s starting to sink in that his junior career has wrapped up.

“Packing up the bag in the room today, obviously that’s kind of when it hit me pretty good,” Young said. “Even thinking that this might be my last game at the Civic Centre. I don’t know if I’ll ever play here again. It’s kind of crazy to think but it could be very true.”

Hometown native Kotchorek said it hasn’t quite sunk in for him.

“I think when most of the guys take off tomorrow that’s probably going to be the toughest,” he said. “That’s when it will really set in that everything has come to an end.

“Sad to see it happen but it’s got to happen at some point.”

Kotchorek said winning a championship last year was the biggest highlight, while Young said he’s proud of the fact that each of his seasons in the Battlefords was successful, with the team topping 40 regular season wins each time, under three different head coaches as well.

“Not very many guys can say that about their junior career,” Young said. “I think it was just the same core group of guys…There’s still a few more of them left next year, so I’m confident they can do it again.”

nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @NathanKanter11

by Nathan Kanter

North Stars hold year-end banquet

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