Pride of Lethbridge
And what a graduating class one particular team turned out to be.
“It’s actually interesting — me, Daryl, Rob, Devon Setoguchi, Everett Sheen, Brodie Sheahan and Judd Blackwater all played on the same Bantam AAA team,” said Versteeg. “You have seven guys who all got to play pro hockey. It was a really special group and a special time in Lethbridge. Daryl is a great guy. It’s pretty special to see another teammate do what he’s done. He’s a guy a lot of people forget about, but they shouldn’t because he was a really big part of that team and Lethbridge minor hockey."
Boyle called Lethbridge his hometown while he played with the Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings.
He has family in the city and spends parts of his summers in Lethbridge training with Trevor Hardy at the Orion Sports and Training Centre.
“He actually started with us in 2002, same year as Rob Klinkhammer started,” said Hardy. “He still works hard every year. He had a great Western (Hockey) League career and has had a very good career in Germany. To be on the Olympic team is just great for him and great for his family. It’s amazing.”
Boyle holds dual citizenship and has played pro in Germany for EHC Red Bull in Munich for the past four seasons.
In addition to lining up alongside him in bantam AAA, Versteeg has trained in the off season with Boyle for the past 12 years.
“I’m so proud for him, too, because he’s also a guy that worked really hard to get where he’s at. He was always a very good player growing up.
“It’s just amazing to see guys that you work with every day in the summertime since you’re kids be rewarded.”
Heading into the gold medal game versus the Olympic Athletes from Russia, Boyle had earned one assist in six games played. Klinkhammer and Boyle are the first Lethbridge players to bring home Olympic hockey medals since Billy Gibson in 1952.
That hardware has been earned.
“They’re both super fit and super committed,” said Hardy. “I’m super proud of both of them. Always.”
Follow DWoodardHerald on