Post by dogcatcher on Jan 23, 2008 7:17:28 GMT -4
Letters | A big thank you to the Sea Dogs
Published Wednesday January 23rd, 2008
Appeared on page B12
Thank you, Sea Dogs. That may not seem like much, but once I tell you the build-up behind it, and the feeling with which I say it, I hope you will be moved.
A lot of you know Kathryn. 11 years old. Autistic. She has a hard time speaking, but when she's talking to you guys, you'd never know it. You take the time to listen and respond. I know it's an effort because I see it. And I appreciate it. I'm not just talking about the star players either.
She loves Ryan Sparling most of all (with the possible exception of Splash), and I see you listen. It's not hard to see why the majority of "Irving 7th Players" picked you at the start of the year.
Payton Liske, the time she caught up to you walking through the building and walked beside you was a major deal for her. I think I lost patience with her questions before you did.
Keven Charland, I'm not sure talking to my niece was designed to be a part of your pre-game ritual, but when she sees you, it makes her night, and she loves you for it. She has the pink jersey to prove it. Signed by everyone, because of the kind act of a coach who didn't have to do anything, but chose to because he knew the difference it could make.
Troy Passingham and Scott MacDonald. She came down to see you in the stands, and you answered all her million questions, and smiled as you did it. It must be difficult to handle it at times, but you both handle it like the professionals I hope you become.
You all help to make her night. And in doing so, you guys make my effort worthwhile.
I'm missing a bunch of names of players who have taken the time and effort with her, and I apologize to everyone. I've missed Alexandre Leduc, Travis Fullerton. She talks about you guys like she knows you. Alex Grant. She and I practised counting to 20 because of you last year. Now, rather than just filling in spaces, a lot of those numbers have meaning. One is Travis. Four is Ryan. Seven is Stich (no idea why it's not David, but it's Stich, so I roll with it). Ten is Michael. Twelve is Matt (just like her father). She used to go to 20, then she started going to 22 (she's still not sure why you spell "Keven" different than her grandfather, but she's OK with it). Then 25. Now when you score, she's yelling "Di-Di-Di-Dido!" as they announce it, and loving every second.
And so on. These numbers are not just things to be said in the proper order any more. They actually mean something to her. Not the same as everyone else, but a meaning nonetheless. I wanted to make sure you guys didn't go through your lives without knowing that you changed hers for the better while you were playing for the Sea Dogs.
And Brett Gallant. Tossing her a puck after practice the other night would have made her night, but you went above and beyond even that. When you stopped and said hello walking through the mall after the game, I thought she was going to go into cardiac arrest. You called her by name, and she will never forget that. She tells you not to fight because she doesn't like it. You smile and tell her to cover her eyes if you have to fight. She does, and it works, because you said it would. I read that you want to be a policeman. I hope that goal gets put on hold, because I want to see you become a professional hockey player for a good long while first.
If heroes really do exist, they're not celebrities. Not even athletes. At the root, they're all people. I sincerely wish each and every Sea Dog the best in whatever happens while you're here and long after. I have always been a hockey fan, but now I am a Sea Dog fan.
I am a firm believer that individuals are a product of their collective environment, and a hockey team is no different. To the management, coaching staff, and even the training and equipment staff members who listen to her and answer her questions before the games, thank you. At every level, when I think of the Saint John Sea Dogs, I think of class. Oh, boys will be boys. I hear of incidents that require discipline, and I see that get handed out fairly and evenly, again with little regard for player status. All players are held to the same high standard of conduct, and for the most part, you all achieve it. Well done, all around. Even more respect for the coaching staff and management for that. I can only imagine what it must be like to handle this. You're developing hockey players, but mothers and fathers are entrusting their sons to you, and you're making them into members of society, and decent human beings.
So, Thank You. All of you.
JAMIE MUNROE
Saint John
Published Wednesday January 23rd, 2008
Appeared on page B12
Thank you, Sea Dogs. That may not seem like much, but once I tell you the build-up behind it, and the feeling with which I say it, I hope you will be moved.
A lot of you know Kathryn. 11 years old. Autistic. She has a hard time speaking, but when she's talking to you guys, you'd never know it. You take the time to listen and respond. I know it's an effort because I see it. And I appreciate it. I'm not just talking about the star players either.
She loves Ryan Sparling most of all (with the possible exception of Splash), and I see you listen. It's not hard to see why the majority of "Irving 7th Players" picked you at the start of the year.
Payton Liske, the time she caught up to you walking through the building and walked beside you was a major deal for her. I think I lost patience with her questions before you did.
Keven Charland, I'm not sure talking to my niece was designed to be a part of your pre-game ritual, but when she sees you, it makes her night, and she loves you for it. She has the pink jersey to prove it. Signed by everyone, because of the kind act of a coach who didn't have to do anything, but chose to because he knew the difference it could make.
Troy Passingham and Scott MacDonald. She came down to see you in the stands, and you answered all her million questions, and smiled as you did it. It must be difficult to handle it at times, but you both handle it like the professionals I hope you become.
You all help to make her night. And in doing so, you guys make my effort worthwhile.
I'm missing a bunch of names of players who have taken the time and effort with her, and I apologize to everyone. I've missed Alexandre Leduc, Travis Fullerton. She talks about you guys like she knows you. Alex Grant. She and I practised counting to 20 because of you last year. Now, rather than just filling in spaces, a lot of those numbers have meaning. One is Travis. Four is Ryan. Seven is Stich (no idea why it's not David, but it's Stich, so I roll with it). Ten is Michael. Twelve is Matt (just like her father). She used to go to 20, then she started going to 22 (she's still not sure why you spell "Keven" different than her grandfather, but she's OK with it). Then 25. Now when you score, she's yelling "Di-Di-Di-Dido!" as they announce it, and loving every second.
And so on. These numbers are not just things to be said in the proper order any more. They actually mean something to her. Not the same as everyone else, but a meaning nonetheless. I wanted to make sure you guys didn't go through your lives without knowing that you changed hers for the better while you were playing for the Sea Dogs.
And Brett Gallant. Tossing her a puck after practice the other night would have made her night, but you went above and beyond even that. When you stopped and said hello walking through the mall after the game, I thought she was going to go into cardiac arrest. You called her by name, and she will never forget that. She tells you not to fight because she doesn't like it. You smile and tell her to cover her eyes if you have to fight. She does, and it works, because you said it would. I read that you want to be a policeman. I hope that goal gets put on hold, because I want to see you become a professional hockey player for a good long while first.
If heroes really do exist, they're not celebrities. Not even athletes. At the root, they're all people. I sincerely wish each and every Sea Dog the best in whatever happens while you're here and long after. I have always been a hockey fan, but now I am a Sea Dog fan.
I am a firm believer that individuals are a product of their collective environment, and a hockey team is no different. To the management, coaching staff, and even the training and equipment staff members who listen to her and answer her questions before the games, thank you. At every level, when I think of the Saint John Sea Dogs, I think of class. Oh, boys will be boys. I hear of incidents that require discipline, and I see that get handed out fairly and evenly, again with little regard for player status. All players are held to the same high standard of conduct, and for the most part, you all achieve it. Well done, all around. Even more respect for the coaching staff and management for that. I can only imagine what it must be like to handle this. You're developing hockey players, but mothers and fathers are entrusting their sons to you, and you're making them into members of society, and decent human beings.
So, Thank You. All of you.
JAMIE MUNROE
Saint John
