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Beer league teams get to play with NHL greats — for mere $25,000 charity commitment

Bryce Forbes, Calgary Herald, March 27, 2012

CALGARY — It’s rare beer league hockey players will ever be given the chance to sit around and hear NHL stories from the likes of Lanny McDonald, Theo Fleury or Marty McSorley.

But if you commit to raising $25,000 per hockey team, that’s what you get in the Scotiabank Pro-Am for Alzheimer’s, all supporting Gordie and Colleen Howe’s Fund for Alzheimer’s.

“It’s a lot of fun and it’s a very, very impactful cause,” said Allan Klassen, a member of the host committee.

“Alzheimer’s is not one of the, I’ll call it, not one of the sexier diseases. It doesn’t get the coverage or exposure that other diseases get but it’s still impactful for so many families across Canada and the world that it’s going to become an even bigger impact as our parents — the baby boomer generation — continues to age.”

Now in its second year in Calgary, the hockey tournament will run the weekend of April 13.

The event raised $1.1 million last year, with hopes of $1.8 million this time.

Although Klassen doesn’t know how much has been raised so far this year, the number of teams has nearly doubled, from 15 to 26 squads.

“The amount of money raised in Calgary last year was outstanding and we are so thrilled that the event will be returning for a second season,” Bill Gaudette, chief executive of Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories, said in a news release. “The Scotiabank Pro-Am event has given Calgarians the opportunity to reach out to their communities and raise awareness and funds for this disease that affects many. We are extremely thankful for its ongoing support.”

The weekend starts with a draft held Friday night with the team that raises the most money earning the No. 1 draft choice. Last year, former Edmonton Oilers enforcer Marty McSorley went first overall to a group of Oilers fans, with Klassen and his squad taking Flames great Theoren Fleury with the second pick.

From there, each player will spend the weekend with the team.

“From a pure hockey perspective, it’s unbelievable,” Klassen said. “You get a chance to sit around the locker-room afterwards and have a couple of pops and just chat with these guys.

“They’ll spend the whole weekend with you and it’s just an amazing experience to be able to be buddies with guys that you watched play, whether it’s Lanny McDonald or Theo Fleury or Marty McSorley.”

It’s by no means a competitive tournament with no champions being crowned at the end. Instead, the teams will get three games of NHL alumni.

For more information, check out http://www.scotiabankproam.com/calgary.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
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