This past week saw the end of the 2013/2014 season for the Espanola Rivermen. I want to start by saying that before the playoffs even started I knew that come season end, we would be the true champions of the league. These are some of the reasons why: The players all represented the team and our town in a way that makes me very proud. Whether it be visiting seniors for a social tea or playing hockey with kids in the firehall on Halloween night, they were genuine and put smiles on our community members faces. In traveling to visit other teams I quickly discovered this to be unique to Espanola. The people of Espanola rallied behind THEIR Rivermen in a way that I have not seen before. For a town of 5500 people to show up at every game in droves and earn the title of THE HIGHEST AVERAGE ATTENDANCE IN THE LEAGUE says a lot! Our volunteers were dedicated and went above and beyond every week. The community spirit in our town is unparalleled and was a great contributor towards the overall success of the team. I have been in the sports industry for a long time and trust me when I say this is very rare…BRAVO ESPANOLA! The Town Of Espanola itself was incredibly supportive throughout the entire season. To ask any more of Diane Polden and all of the staff at the Rec Complex would be impossible. I applaud the way you have worked with the team since day one to ensure its success and a positive experience for the people of Espanola. I look forward to putting our heads together for many successful seasons. The support from the Espanola Business community is unprecedented. From food donations to contributions at our games to materials, Espanola Business owners were there for the Rivermen. The sponsorship sales to Espanola and area businesses was beyond my expectations and is a huge factor is enabling the team to bring joy to the community. At every home game, spectators were thrilled by a competitive showing. The boys gave their all each and every time they stepped on the ice and it showed! Despite only being an 8 month old franchise we ended up in third place going in to the playoffs. That is quite the feat and I tip my hat to big Tom McCarthy and his team of Rivermen for a well played season. For those reasons, I see the Espanola Rivermen as champions. Personally….this has been an interesting journey for me. For 16 years I have built events in a very very different sport and for the first time I was the NEW GUY. As I learned more and more about the game of Hockey the more I enjoyed it. I find myself stimulated for the first time in several years. I have met many new friends, got to spend more time with old friends and for the first time ever I get to use my skills at home and for the betterment of the area I love. I am excited to help this team achieve its goals. Anyone who knows me knows that I thrive on massive adversity and challenge. I thank Tim WOLF MAN Clayden for having faith in me and for having faith in Espanola. I know that there is sooooo much more to come and I am already working hard on the 2014/2015 season.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Apr 2014 17:28:09 +0000
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