In 2005, sitting at the Listowel Memorial arena, I watched the Listowel Cyclones hockey club hoist the Cherrey Cup for the very first time in the team history. It was an amazing game to be at as a fan and like any kid you could only dream of being in a similar experience. 

Fast forward to my Minor Midget AAA draft year with the Huron-Perth Lakers. I was a skinny little 15 year old with hopes of being drafted to the OHL, however I went unpicked and was left wondering what I was going to do next with my hockey career. I decided to try out for a couple of nearby junior teams, one of them being the Listowel Cyclones, a team I grew up watching because I lived 10 minutes down the road. I arrived at prospect camp and was fortunate enough to sign as a 16 year old. I was thrilled, as not many 16 year old hockey players get the opportunity to play in such a great league like the GOJHL. Right away I knew I would have to elevate my game to compete with such amazing players. I knew it was going to be the beginning to an amazing story. 

Part of the reason I wanted to write this article was to acknowledge the people who made my time in Listowel unforgettable. I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of playing with the Cyclones if it wasn’t for the coaching staff taking a chance on me as a 16 year old. I had several coaches over my 5 years with the club but only one head coach: Jason Brooks. Brooksy played a huge part in my development as a junior hockey player and taught me the commitment that it took to have success in hockey. Ask any Cyclone player he has coached in the past 5 years what day of the week they dreaded most, 100% of the players will answer Tuesday nights. On Tuesday’s we would get the living tar beat out of us. The night consisted of a workout at the gym followed by an hour long bag skate session. The more we lost the harder the practices would get, which was unfortunate my first year because of all the games we lost. However, there was a method to the madness and Brooksy knew we would have to be the best conditioned team to beat teams with more skill. The amount of attention he put into practice plans, video sessions, and pre-game speeches translated into a winning mentality. So for that I thank you Brooksy. 

A man that doesn’t get as much recognition is Jesse Cole, our General Manager and Assistant Coach, a man I also spent my 5 years with. He is one of the most organized and detailed coaches I’ve ever played for from systems to pre-scouts. There wasn’t one game in my 5 years where we were unprepared thanks to him. He is a major part of turning this club into what it is today because of the winning culture he brought with him day in and day out. Jesse may be a Stratford alumni but it was hard to find someone with more passion for the Cycs than himself. You always felt confident when he brought in his colour coated white boards filled with systems. I’d also like to thank all other past coaches who have been a part of my time in Listowel. I truly was spoiled to have a great bench staff behind me in Listowel, without them there is no Sutherland Cup.  

The Listowel Cyclones are not possible without the many volunteers and staff that are at every game to help support the team. Most come from their day jobs and busy lifestyles to make sure the program is one of the best in the league. More specifically I’d like to thank Mark Kennedy, long time equipment manager of the Listowel Cyclones. Our team would always like to joke around with Mark and give him a hard time but we only did it because we loved having him around. I can’t thank the staff enough for the dedication and commitment they have put forth for us. 

I’d like to thank Darren Stevenson for his continued coverage of the GOJHL and showcasing the talent across the league. Without him, some of the greatest Cyclone’s moments would not be captured or shared. 

I’d be crazy if I didn’t mention my parents and my family for being Cyclones super fans for the past 5 years. Thank you for providing me and my sister every opportunity to advance in the game of hockey. Nothing is possible without your support. 

I think most players will agree that the best part about junior hockey is the friendships you’ll make along the ride and they are absolutely right. I had the pleasure to play with so many outstanding players over the course of my junior career; players that I believed could have played at the next level easily. Some of the players I was lucky enough to play with for 4 years such as: Caleb Warren, Blake Nichol, Brady Anderson, Keaton Willis, and Holdyn Lansink. Unfortunately I can’t name everyone but winning the Sutherland Cup in 2018 with guys such as them made it that much sweeter because of the amount of adversity we’d been through in past years. We spent so much time together on and off the ice that it felt like I had 21 new brothers. I learned a lot from my older team mates on how to handle different situations and things to expect in junior hockey.  Not only that but they taught me how to be a part of a tightly-knit community like Listowel and how to treat kids that look up to you as role models. It gave me even more motivation to try and bring a championship to the town because they deserved it. It was easy coming to the rink everyday because I was lacing them up beside my buddies that loved the game just as much as I did. Thank you to my team mates for making junior hockey unforgettable for me.  I remember I would always look at Brady across the room when we were down in playoff games and say “we’re going to make one hell of a story when this is all said and done”.  

Lastly, many young hockey players will deal with failure or rejection in their careers. But those failures are not the events that should define you as a player. I wouldn’t have got to play with Listowel if I had given up on hockey after the draft.  Our team wouldn’t have won championships without learning from our failures and building from them. Nothing is guaranteed in life and it is the failures that remind you of that. I’ve heard many professional players speak the words “It’s nobody’s story but mine” and it’s true. YOU write your own story. And as I told Brady: “it’s going to be one hell of a story” and man... was it ever. From watching the first ever 04-05 Cherrey Cup, to winning the first ever Sutherland Cup in 2018, to playing my last game ever as a Cyclone. I will cherish those memories for the rest of my life.

Thank you Listowel.
     
- Chayse Herrfort, May 2019