HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES!
The KC Southside Golden Knights’ Andrew Duggan, left, and Jacob Aube celebrate Aube’s goal against the SWAT Ghostbusters during Minor Hockey Week action at the Terwillegar Arena Sunday. The massive tournament runs until Sunday.
John Putters spent many years coaching and watching his only son, Elliott, play hockey.
When Elliott moved on from his minor hockey playing days, Putters was looking to find a way to give back to the game that gave him so many joyful memories.
Hockey has a unique way of creating special bonds and connections among the hockey community and Putters has formed many over the years.
But likely none are like what he has now with 10-year-old Joseph Gardiner.
Five years ago, Putters met Joseph and his family through his longtime co-worker, who is Joseph’s grandmother. The young boy’s parents had recently moved to Alberta from Ontario and were trying hard to get settled in.
Joseph had a passion for hockey and wanted to learn, but money was tight after the family’s big move. So Putters stepped up and helped Joseph live his dream to lace up the skates.
Putters paid for Joseph’s registration fees. He bought him a pair of skates and gave him Elliott’s old equipment from when he first picked up the game.
He would pick him up and drive him to early morning practices and games.
He’d take Joseph to the outdoor rink and teach him to skate, shoot and stickhandle the puck.
Putters became Joseph’s mentor. That was his way of giving back.
Since then, it’s developed into a special bond between the two.
“He loves hockey and he wanted to learn and it was a price I wanted to pay to get back involved and it’s an amazing experience,” said Putters. “He’s like my adopted grandson. We’re really close. Even though I’m not coaching him this year, we will always have that lifelong bond and I’m so proud of him and all he’s accomplished.”
This is the first year Putters or his son Elliott aren’t behind the bench coaching Joseph, but that hasn’t stopped either of them from supporting Joseph.
On Sunday, John and his son Elliott made their way to Terwillegar Community Recreation Centre prior to coaching their own team’s games to watch Joseph patrol the blue line for the Knights of Columbus Golden Knights in a round robin tournament game in the 55th annual Quikcard Edmonton Minor Hockey Week.
“Every game I can make it to, I’m there. I spend a lot of time coaching my own team and watching him play,” said Putters. “When I watch Joseph play, I’m just as nervous and jittery during the games as I was when my son played.”
The countless hours Putters spent teaching Joseph hockey have paid off on and off the ice. Joseph’s developed into a smooth skating steady defenceman and it’s helped him mature off the ice.
“John’s become a big role model and a big factor in Joseph’s life,” said Joseph’s mother Gerry. “What John did for our family was so generous of him and we’re so grateful to him. He’s had such an amazing influence on Joseph.
“All of my family is back home so he doesn’t have much family here. John’s stepped up and become a big part of his life. He loves him so much, and their bond is pretty special.”
As Putters has watched Gardiner’s game grow on the ice, he can’t help but remember back to those days and nights teaching him how to skate.
“I remember the first time I took him out skating, he literally had his fingers and toes gripped on to the side of boards and was hanging on for dear life. He didn’t want to go anywhere,” said Putters. “But I got him a push assist and he started whipping around the ice and going 90 miles an hour and he got that feeling of freedom and he caught the bug like so many of us do and just fell in love with the game.”
Gardiner continues improve and to grow every year and this year he made the Knights of Columbus’ top tier atom team.
Joseph always plays hard, but when John is in the stands, he works and tries even more. Regardless of the results on the ice, John is always there to show his support.
“He calls me Gramps and I like that. I don’t have any grand kids and this must be my practice run. We do a lot of things together,” said Putters. “It may have started with hockey, but our bond has become so much more.”