Everyday Hockey Heroes
Bob McKenzie and Jim Lang
What does hockey look like today in Canada? Who is changing the game? Canadian broadcasters Bob McKenzie and Jim Lang bring together players, from youth hockey to the NHL, and the people who support them to show us what hockey means to them.
Meet Philadelphia Flyer Wayne Simmonds and Paralympian gold medalist Greg Westlake, who wouldn't be at the top of their sport without the never-ending support of their families and communities. See how they're giving back to show young hockey hopefuls that anything is possible. Read about players like Ben Fanelli, who overcame catastrophic injury to keep playing the game he loved and is using his story as a platform to help others, or the renowned Canadian neurosurgeon Dr. Charles Tator, who is leading the charge to protect athletes from the dangers of brain trauma and concussion. From hockey commentators Andi Petrillo and Harnarayan Singh, who broke down barriers to be on air, to Karina Potvin, the youth hockey coach welcoming Syrian boys and girls to Canada by introducing them to our national pastime, these are the stories of everyday hockey heroes — those who defy the odds, advocate for inclusion, and champion the next generation of hockey.
From small-town rinks to big city arenas across the country, this collection celebrates everyone who loves our great game. Heartwarming and entertaining, Everyday Hockey Heroes is a must-read for every hockey fan. (From Simon & Schuster)
From the book
Everyday Hockey Heroes: Wayne Simmonds
There's an old saying that it takes a village to raise a child. Scarborough definitely raised me as a hockey player, and I'm so proud that I get to be a part of that community.
Some of my earliest memories are of my dad taking me skating at our local outdoor rink in Scarborough, Ontario. Every Saturday morning, without fail, my dad would knock on my bedroom door.
"Wayne, let's get going! We're going skating."
"It's freezing out there, Dad," I'd say, covering myself in a warm blanket. "I don't want to go."
"You'll have fun once you get out there and get moving. And we can get some hot chocolate afterward, okay?"
Yes, hot chocolate, the magic words. Somehow the thought of it would always get me out of bed, into the car, and onto the rink. And my dad was right. Even though it was so cold I could see my breath in front of me, once I'd laced up my skates and done a few laps, I was the happiest kid on the ice. It was there on that little outdoor rink with my dad that my love of hockey began.
But playing the game wasn't always easy. My family is African Nova Scotian, and I often wondered if I fit in the world of hockey, which was, and still is, a very white sport. On Saturday nights, our family would crowd around the TV to watch the hockey game, and I'd wonder if guys who looked like me could play in the NHL. There weren't many, but when I saw what Jarome Iginla or Mike Grier could do on the ice, I started to believe it was possible.
And the tipping point came when I attended a hockey camp in Scarborough run by Kevin Weekes, who at that time was playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning. I always looked up to Kevin. He was a black guy who grew up in Scarborough, just like me. Meeting guys like Kevin and Anson Carter, another black NHLer from Toronto, was incredible — these were professional hockey players and they were talking to me! That day, I started thinking about my future, and I allowed myself to believe that the colour of my skin wasn't a barrier and if I gave the game my all, I could play in the NHL, too.
I had been playing AA hockey for five years when I went to try out for the Wexford Raiders, an AAA team in the elite Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL). I remember walking into the dressing room and seeing that all the other kids there had brand-new equipment, including these sweet composite sticks. I knew I was a good player and that I had talent, but I couldn't help but notice that all my gear, from my skates to my wooden stick, was secondhand. I'm from a big family of seven, and my parents, Cyril and Wanda, are some of the hardest-working people I know. My dad was in construction and my mom worked for the city of Toronto and went to school full-time. They did the best they could for us, but by the time the bills were paid, there wasn't a lot of money left over for things like new skates and sticks, so I was used to wearing hand-me-downs.
As much as I wanted a new composite stick like the other guys, playing hockey with my buddies was more important, and I had to focus on the tryout if I wanted to move up with them in the league. I took a deep breath, pushed the image of all that flashy new gear out of my mind, and skated my heart out. And I made it! I made a team, and a really good one at that. My dream of playing for the NHL was that much closer.
As I came out of that rink, one of my friends, and now a fellow Raider, told me that our coach had asked to see me. I walked up to our car, where my mom was waiting, and started putting my equipment into the trunk.
"Hey Mom, I gotta go back up. Coach wants to see me."
"Okay, but before we go in, I need to talk to you about something."
"This sounds serious," I said, hopping in the front seat.
"It is." She looked down at her hands. "Honey, we are so proud of you and your accomplishments, but AAA is a lot of money and your father and I aren't sure we'll be able to afford it this year."
"Oh." It was all I could say.
From Everyday Hockey Heroes by Bob McKenzie and Jim Lang ©2018. Published by Simon & Schuster.