ERIC’S TEAMMATES PLAY MEMORIAL GAME AS FUND-RAISER FOR AYALIK FUND
Eric loved hockey. He rooted his self-esteem in being part of a team, in the admiration from his teammates and his skill at the game. Ten years of minor hockey in Ottawa was one of the most important parts of his life. Remembering those years, his favourite coach Roger said:
Eric could stickhandle in a phone booth and skate like the wind – this came naturally to him – but the most gratifying thing to watch was his joy in playing the game, happy after a good shift, happy after a good game, joyous after he or one of his line-mates scored.
One of his other coaches added “The only thing faster than his feet was his smile.”
Eric could stickhandle in a phone booth and skate like the wind – this came naturally to him – but the most gratifying thing to watch was his joy in playing the game, happy after a good shift, happy after a good game, joyous after he or one of his line-mates scored.
One of his other coaches added “The only thing faster than his feet was his smile.”
Eric's teammates during the minute of silence to honour Eric's memory
Given his love of the game, it was a very moving gesture when his 2014-15 Ottawa Centre teammates proposed this game to honour his memory and raise funds for the Ayalik Fund. And it was a grand success in every way: a fitting tribute, an evening of fun on the ice, resulting in a donation of $1000 to the Ayalik Fund.
Wrote Ian: “In my hands I hold my best friend’s stick and I wear his idol Jordin Tootoo’s jersey. Behind me Eric’s two other life-long friends hold his jersey up, to retire it forever.” Eric wore #22 because his hockey hero, Jordin Tootoo, the only Inuk ever to play in the NHL, is #22.
All his teammates wore this sticker on their helmets and sticks
The action was fast-paced, but the girls had the definite advantage in play, winning 5-3. Of course, they'd played this game called ringette before!