Midget teams aiming for provincial sweep

Help support Brock Hirsche, a man displaying true courage and leadership

Happy Easter everyone! Maybe one day soon the weather will co-operate and make it feel like spring. Maybe the weather is staying cold to allow for hockey season to continue. Based on the performances of many of our local teams, golf season was the last thing on their minds.

Heading into the weekend it is possible (and I don’t want to jinx it) that Lethbridge could sweep provincial championships in the Midget division. The Midget A team won the provincial championship in Sherwood Park while the Minor Midget AAAs won their provincial title this past weekend at home. The Midget AAs will go for their provincial title this weekend while the Midget AAAs currently see their best-offive championship tied one game a piece heading into last night’s action in Edmonton.

I don’t have any hard data in front of me but I can’t imagine one association has ever swept the Midget division in provincial titles before. In the era of academies it is truly a testament to Keith Hitchcock and Lethbridge Minor Hockey that our association has done such an incredible job developing players and not only seeing players stay home to play but seeing our local association be a model throughout Western Canada.

I also wanted to take some time to talk about a local hero who is truly making a difference. Recently Brock Hirsche was given a grim diagnosis relating to his cancer treatment. After having previously seen his cancer go into remission it has returned and this time the prognosis is not positive.

I have known Brock for years. In this community the hockey world is small enough that everyone basically knows everyone. Brock is three years younger than me which prevented us from ever playing on the same team.

We would often skate together in the summer and he was part of the powerhouse 1992 age group with Brad Ross, Mark Reners, Blake Gal, Brad Deagle, Lukas Sutter, Patrick Holland and others that went to the Bantam AAA final.

I remember watching Game 5 of that series in a packed Henderson arena, standing behind the glass with three rows of people stacked behind me and knowing any bathroom break would lead to me most likely not getting back in the arena.

While not having the privilege to play with Brock I have seen him be a leader in our community for years.

One of my lollipop moments with Brock in regards to his leadership was being an umpire in baseball as a youngster to make a little extra money. By and large I just hoped to get through each game, not have to deal with any flack and get my $30/game.

Brock was an athlete from a young age and a hulking one at that. We talk about him as a hockey player now but he was a hell of a ballplayer back in the day, too. One game I remember I did get some flack as umpires mostly do. When the game ended I ducked out and was headed to the street at Lakeview hoping my dad was there to pick me up when I heard someone call my name. I turned and saw Brock walking toward me, completely out of his way, putting out his hand and said “thanks for umping today.”

To me that shows class and leadership and especially from a 12year-old at the time.

Here I was, three years older than Brock and trying to get out of Lakeview as quick as I possibly could and Brock made time to thank me. He didn’t have to thank me, he didn’t have to say anything, maybe he only thanked me because when he was pitching the strike zone was a little bit larger. But seeing the way he has conducted himself as an adult since that time is more than enough evidence to show that this wasn’t a one-off instance.

When Brock was injured as a member of the Prince George Cougars he stuck around as an assistant coach (almost unheard of for a junior player). He was a captain in Prince George and a captain at the University of Lethbridge. And now, despite unfortunate circumstances, he is showing courage and leadership in helping create the Brock Hirsche Hockey Scholarship at the U of L.

He has also been an advocate for men’s health with his involvement with Half Sack Sports.

I saw Brock about a month ago in passing at the AAA Midget game in Lethbridge, I said a quick hello but at the time didn’t realize his cancer had returned. What Brock is doing to create a legacy to help support the U of L and help create awareness for men’s health is again proving his courage and leadership.

I personally can’t imagine what he and his parents are going through at this difficult time. But knowing the quality of person going through this difficulty will grow the awareness of men’s health, this terrible disease and create a lasting legacy to an incredible person.

To those looking to help donate to the Brock Hirsche Scholarship go to www.gohorns.ca/for-brock.

For those looking for more information about Half Sack Sports (and those looking to purchase some cool apparel for a great cause) go to www.halfsacksports.com.

While I know the support for the Hirsche family is immense right now (and for good reason) I hope we can continue to come together as a community for a great person and two parents (Tim and Char) who raised a true leader in our community.