By David F. Rooney
The crowd gathered in tiny increments — a person here, a couple there — but by the time MC Steve Smith began his spiel, there were almost 100 people in Grizzly Plaza to cheer as this year’s team of Grizzlies was introduced… along with all the glittering hardware they played so hard to win.
This unbelievably good and oh-so-triumphant team of young men looked a little frazzled in the noon-day sun — no doubt they partied hard on Sunday night after winning the Western Canadian Championships — but the crowd could care less. The crowd was there to honour them with spontaneous applause, cheers and attaboys.
There were plenty of people who had a few words to say. Smith introduced each member of the team individually and praised their hard work on and off the ice this year while Coach Mick praised their teamwork, saying “when it counted they went on the ice and relied on one another.”
“Guys,” he said, “I’m so proud of you. You’ll remember this the rest of your lives.”
Managing owner Mike Roberts lauded Mick, the Revelstoke Grizzlies Hockey Society and all of its volunteers for their hard work and many, many hours spent delivering Grade A hockey to local fans. And society President Cheryl Fry was fairly bursting with pride in the job the boys did this year.
She also noted, though, that the team needs the support of an active group of volunteers and she urged fans to come to the Forum this Wednesday at 7 pm for the society’s AGM and help keep unbelievably good hockey a reality here next season.
