The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
'I knew him my whole life,' Gerard Lamontagne said in recalling his friend Mark Gogal. 'He was a couple years behind me in school, but I mean once we got into our high school and adult years, that's when we became buddies and then very good friends.' The comments came up in relation to a recently held, and very successful, street hockey tournament. It was named the Mark Gogal Memorial Main Street Road Hockey Tournament, and Lamontagne vows it will become an annual event. The idea for the name came about when he and a few others were tossing around some ideas for the Winter Whoot weekend. Lamontagne, co-owner of the Snow Lake Motor Inn, said it was initially going to be called the Main Street Road Hockey Tournament; however, a suggestion was made that if it was a memorial tournament, it would be more of an event and there would likely be better participation. 'Right away I thought of Mark and said, 'How about the Mark Gogal Memorial Main Street Road Hockey Tournament?'' Lamontagne explained. 'So I phoned Brad and Kim (Mark's brother and sister-in-law) to make sure it was okay with them. Brad was all for it and actually donated the prizes. So we said, 'Okay, we'll organize it and take all the proceeds and donate them to Sara and Ethan's (Mark's children) trust fund.'' Most everyone in the community can recall the sharp and sudden sadness that gripped Snow Lake as the afternoon hours of Sunday, Nov. 18 ticked by. That was when, Mark Gogal, a well-respected pilot and friend to many, lost his life, and seven others were badly injured in a tragic plane crash. The community pulled together that day, both in getting the injured to care and supporting the families who were affected by the ordeal. Lamontagne, who gave the eulogy at Mark Gogal's funeral, says this tournament was something in which his friend would have participated wholeheartedly. Fifty-two people signed up and paid the $10 entry fee for the tournament; of those 44 took part _ the others just wanted their $10 to go to the cause. The money _ $520 _ went to a trust fund set up for Mark's children, Sara and Ethan. Of the 44 people who played, everyone's name went in a hat and four teams were made up A, B, C and D. 'We got outside and played A vs B, then C vs D _ the winners played against each other in the final,' said Lamontagne. 'Next year we'd like to try and do it over a Friday and Saturday night, depending on how shifts work.' See ' Winn...' on pg. 9 Con't from pg. 8 The winning team was Team C, made up of Alex Francis, Corey Lobert, Bryce Henderson, Davey Roberts, Rylee Galiz, Tyler Stacy, Lonnie Loewen, Jared Smokeywood and one other 'guy' whose name eluded those interviewed. Asked how this first-annual tournament was enjoyed, Lamontagne was quick to sum it up. 'It was super coolÉ it was so much fun playing out there,' he said enthusiastically. 'Everyone was enjoying itÉtotally! The bar was jammed, there were tons of spectators. Lots of people just came up to watchÉ and there was some great hockey played as well!' In order for play to take place, organizers roped off half of Elm (Main) Street and borrowed the nets from the Brentwood Outdoor Rink. In true street hockey fashion, there were no lines and the ref didn't show up, either. Additionally, Lamontagne says, it was just like a Squirts hockey game _ follow the swarm of bodies and you will always know where the puck is. Adding to the excitement, games didn't consist of five-on-five with one in net _ everyone on the team was on the playing surface at the same time. 'It made it a little hectic, but it was still a blast,' said Lamontagne. 'But you know what, having all those players on the 'ice' at the same time, probably made it a lot more fun, because if it would have been five-on-five, a lot more skill would have come into play and made it more wide open _ this way it was a free-for-all!' Lamontagne says they didn't have lights this year, but next year's tourney will hopefully boast some wobble lighting (temporary, self-righting, portable construction and industrial lighting) to help illuminate the playing surface. One of the women who played, Rylee Galiz, also had some comments on the tournament. 'I can tell you that the hockey tourney was well-run and a whole lot of fun,' she said. 'Not a scuffle or scrapÉ well maybe the girls were a bit rough. It was good clean fun for a great cause! There were a lot of people I didn't know, which I thought was great for them to come out and support the cause as well.' Lamontagne says that after the event, he received an e-mail from Mark's children, Sara and Ethan, through their mother. 'They thanked us and said how happy they were that this was done for them in honour of their dad,' he said. 'Ethan asked if he could come up for it, and you know, when he gets a little older, maybe some year he can come and play in it.' Snow Lake's Underground Press newspaper has committed to buying and donating a proper trophy for this annual event, one that will hopefully enhance the memory of Mark Gogal and all those who play in his honour.
