The Huntsville Senior Men’s Shinny Hockey Group held a luncheon on Friday, December 13, 2024, at the Huntsville Legion.
The meeting focused on the October 24, 2024, win of the Canada 150 Cup 80+ Hockey Hall of Fame tournament by Team Canada over the USA, with the Cup proudly on display.
Five new inductees into the 80+ Hockey Hall of Fame were introduced to generous applause. New members to the group, which actively supports hockey play for seniors ages 55 and over, were individually recognized at the podium.
Founded 20 years ago to encourage continued athletic involvement in the sport, the group has grown in participation and popularity. It hosts four distinct age ranges, 55+, 65+,70+, and 80+, involving over one hundred active players.
“As we all skate through the ages, our focus turns from competitive hockey to other objectives. And although the rink is just a slab of ice, it’s far more than that, it’s a home away from home”, stated George Nickerson, in his opening statement. Nickerson, an avid proponent and well-known champion for the “love of hockey,” especially for active seniors, continued, “It’s a place where conversations flow effortlessly, friendships blossom, and all of life comes together in a supportive environment. And these are the qualities of the Huntsville Shinny group, of which I’m very proud to be a member of. It’s a community-supported program which allows all of us to keep on playing despite the passage of time. There’s a growing number of our friends who have been recognized by the Canadian 80+ Hockey Hall of Fame, founded in 2011.”
He went on to praise the five new inductees as “role models and ambassadors for the greatest game.”
Remo Campitelli, David Scott, Glen Boon, John Snowden, and David Burgess were inducted into the Hall of Fame in a ceremony held at the Canada Summit Centre on August 24, 2024. All five players have extensive backgrounds in hockey tournaments and have played important roles in establishing viable senior hockey play in Huntsville. John Snowden was inducted into the Huntsville Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.
David Mallete, Captain of Team Canada 80+, winners of the Canada 150 Cup 2024, spoke about the importance of the win and the meaning behind treasuring the Cup as a milestone in achievement. Mallette, who is 83 years young, lives in Parry Sound and enjoys playing four to five times per week in Huntsville and Bracebridge.
“I came over to Huntsville about six, seven years ago to play hockey. I met the most incredible group of hockey players and gentlemen, every one of you that I played with, I’ve learned a lot and it’s given me the motivation to keep playing.”
Mallette, a wiry, fit, and healthy individual, plays forward on Team Canada 80+. He was inducted into the 80+ Hockey Hall of Fame in 2022, as he further explains, “The year I was inducted in 2022, we won the cup that year. And then the next year we lost it to the Americans. This year we won it again, and we’re so proud to have it.” They won the game, 1-0 in overtime.
“This cup now is following the NHL tradition of the Stanley Cup and it’s going to go everywhere across Canada. Our team, this year, has people from the Maritimes, Western Canada, Saskatoon, and we have to ship this thing around.”
Following lunch, supplied by the enthusiastic Legion staff, keynote speaker Rob Saunders, former General Manager of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, presented an in-depth slide show of his recent visit, as part of the Rotary Club of Huntsville, to northern India. Although hockey was not prominent in his visit, cultural insight and ancient history were. Saunders provided an excellent overview of his visit accompanied by detailed photographs of the many distant places he travelled with his wife and fellow travellers.
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Congratulations, Gentleman. You are an inspiration to all us Seniors to keep active and have fun.