One of these is Boissevain School Vice Principal Al Hicks. He is a veteran of those long bus trips, doing it as a player and coach for many years. Hicks has also had kids on those sports trips as well, so he knows the feeling from many different angles.
“There is such a wave of emotions,” Hicks said “I don’t know how the people will now go forward. The hopes and dreams have been pulled apart.”
Hicks said he was on a weekend skiing trip in Alberta with his son, whose season had just ended, when the news began trickling in.
“On Friday, I was hearing this thing unfold. I couldn’t believe it. I tried to learn more through social media, and the story was coming in a piece at a time. The next morning (Saturday), more came in. It hits home, it really happened.”
Hicks played for Weyburn in the same league, saying he remembers going to Humboldt when their rink was brand new. It was during this time the Swift Current Broncos accident happened in 1986, where four people were killed. He has since coached a number of teams including the Yellowhead Chiefs and is currently the head of the high school hockey team in Boissevain.
The long bus trips, particularly in Western Canada, are the hallmark of hockey. Of course, the game is played in the winter in which road conditions are not always the best.
The particulars of the recent Humboldt tragedy are yet unknown, but some have said the intersection where the accident happened was a difficult one due to the trees near the turn, and there was another deadly accident there in 1997. Regardless of the circumstances, the travel does add an element of risk to any sport.
Hicks said as a player, coach and parent, he is familiar with the situation.
“It is something you don’t think will happen,” he explained. “You always think you’re going to make it. If the competition turns out not so well, not the way you want it to, if that’s the only injury you suffer, then you’re fine. Sometimes it’s a reckless ride, because you have just won something important. But there are so many memories from those rides, the card games, the camaraderie. It’s part of being Canadian.”
Boissevain native Branden Crowe has an even more direct connection to the situation. Now the voice of the Brandon Wheat Kings, Crowe started his broadcast career covering the Humboldt Broncos in the 2011-12 season. When he first started hearing about the accident, he was getting ready to hit the airwaves for game one between the Wheaties and the Lethbridge Hurricanes in that Alberta city. Crowe said he was discussing the upcoming match with partner Perry Bergson, and he got a text about it from a friend. He scrolled through social media and got more details.
“At first there was shock,” Crowe said, “and a little concern. There was not a lot of time to talk about it because we had to get on the air.”
They did not discuss it over the radio at first, as they wanted the real information to come in before they spoke of it. As it did, Crowe said he had to put his “reporter hat” on, and make sure the information was accurate. He knew there was a Manitoba boy on the Broncos, and was not sure if family were listening to the broadcast.
“I just try to think of myself, whatever I might be learning on like TV or radio, and how I want good, quality information. So I try to maintain my composure and provide that. I knew there were a lot of Wheat King fans that would be listening for information.”
The players he knew during his time in Humboldt are obviously gone, but he did meet the late coach Darcy Haugan and radio announcer Tyler Bieber. He said the community is a small, farming one and the main ticket in town is the Broncos.
“Everybody knew what happened with the Broncos,” Crowe said. “If you went to Tim Horton’s, it wouldn’t matter if you were the first line center or radio guy, everybody wanted to know about the Broncos. That team is really the heartbeat of the town.’
Like Hicks, he has travelled those roads on the buses and has never thought about not making it home. When the Wheat Kings left Lethbridge on the weekend, Crowe did not take the bus, but watched the players get on and noticed the heavy sadness weighing on those young men.
Hicks said there are many impacts to this tragedy. The Nipawin team would be waiting to play a game, and then find out about the accident. They will be moving on, but there would be no sense of victory. There are not only the families, but also the billet families. There are a few teachers in Boissevain School who have played higher levels of hockey and some still are in contact with those all important “parents”. How devastating must this be? For an entire community, a league and a country, it is something that will be felt for a long time.
The Boissevain School sports program shares a name with the Broncos, and a similar colour of jersey. Hicks said this is obviously coincidence, and the reaction to the accident would be the same for any team. But flying home, he did have Broncos gear and received some condolences.
“There is only a few degrees of separation,” Hicks said. “For the people dealing with difficulties, they hopefully understand the whole country, young and old, are behind them. For people in the toughest spot, we hope they find solace.”
At Boissevain School, they were able to organize a quick response for Monday. A moment of silence was held and kids were encouraged to wear green in support of the team and community of Humboldt. Hicks said they wanted the students to have a bit of personal space and deal with it in their way. He added the high school hockey league would be putting together a donation in the future.
As a school, they soon will be out on the buses with a start to the baseball season. The vice principal said it is not only sports, but also other groups and clubs of the school that hit the road for other performances or competitions.
“We know we give kids better opportunities to leave the building, to try to make themselves better. There is a certain risk to that. But there is a risk in not doing it, not giving them that opportunity.”
Crowe said the Humboldt Broncos are one of the most successful teams in that level of hockey, and now unfortunately, they are associated with something like this. But, he was there when they hosted the national championships, and he has seen their resiliency.
“If any town can deal with it, Humboldt can,” Crowe stated, “That community can come together, and even in a negative situation like this, they will have the same response.”
Hicks said any response he has pales in comparison to those directly involved.
“It is not about where I’m at, my life experiences,” he said. “We just want good energy, good things to happen. We want to send love and prayers. My sentiments are heartfelt sympathy to those people involved.”
by PAUL RAYNER, Recorder staff