Regrouping for season a ‘victory’ for heavy-hearted Broncos, fans
HUMBOLDT Bob Bachynski calls it a “victory” for the Humboldt Broncos to even be able to ice a team this season.
Bachynski — president of the Broncos Alumni Association, which was formed this spring following the Broncos team bus tragedy on April 6 — says he was “profoundly ” affected by the crash that claimed the lives of 16 passengers, including 10 players.
Bachynski and many other former Broncos came back to Humboldt to show their support and attend the team’s Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League season opener here Wednesday night at Elgar Petersen Arena.
“We had looked at possibly doing something a little bit more formal and acknowledging the Broncos alumni after the first game,” said Bachynski, a native of British Columbia who played for the Broncos during the 1972-73 and 1973-74 seasons. “We felt it’d be prudent to back off and let the evening take off on its own. There are a lot of different things that need to be done (Wednesday) in memory and looking forward. So we thought we’d stand back at this point of time. We’ll come back at another time and organize something. We’re just here for support now. That’s why we’re here.”
More than 200 former players are registered with the association, and that number is growing.
Bachynski estimates there are well over 1,000 former Bronco players out there to draw from.
“That’s our big pool we’re going to reach out for,” he said. “We’re still getting our feet under us as an organization and going forward. Right now, we have 200 and we’re going from there.”
Maurice Plemel, who runs an auto dealership in Humboldt, has been a Broncos supporter since the early 1970s.
“Here in town, we’re just thrilled to have team back on the ice,” Plemel said. “You’re never going to replace the team that we had. That was a very special team. Darcy had an amazing way with those kids, how they came together. We have to have another team on the ice so we can keep on being a hockey town. It’s going to take some time but we’re going to make it happen.”
Plemel says the community is grateful for the support it has received from around the world. He says that, while there were mixed feelings about all the media attention for Wednesday’s season opener, it was necessary to let it run its course.
“We hurt in town, so we’ve got to share that hurt,” Plemel said. “The whole country has been so supportive so we have to be there. We have to show on national TV that we are Humboldt and we are Humboldt Strong. We’re going to keep on going and we’re going to make it work.
“We’re looking forward to getting past all this and getting back into the hockey game.”
Tom Johnson has supported the Broncos for more than 25 years. The last four seasons, he has worked security at home games.
He had mixed emotions about Wednesday’s nationally televised game and all the media attention once again in town. It’s been a lot for the community to deal with, he says.
“Things seem to calm down and then, all of a sudden, something big comes up again,” Johnson said. “Some of the people just want to get on with their lives and get back to normal. It’ll never going to be normal again but it’s going to be a new normal.
“Once we get this game over with, things can kind of settle down a bit, as much as they could. But it’s changed the team and league forever. This is a major catastrophe that’s happened.”
He added that a nationally televised game was a good thing in a way, but felt many people would be glad when it was over.
“There’s recognition for the team, but I think everybody wants to get back to what will be the new normal,” Johnson said.
“Life goes on. It’s a cruel thing to say, but people have to get on with their lives.”
Former Broncos assistant coach Ed Perry says that, in way, it was good for the Broncos to play the Nipawin Hawks to open the season Wednesday, but he, too, found everything maybe a little too overwhelming for the families and loved ones of those who died in the crash.
“For me being a parent of a former Bronco player and grandfather, I feel for the parents. It’s going to be emotional,” Perry said before the game. “Hopefully after this is over, we can get back and watch the juniors here.
“And it’s a good-looking bunch of guys out there.”