Growing up in a small town it was easy to stay active and social just by being involved in minor and school sports. In fact growing up the seasons were easily distinguished by the sports calendar. Summer and it’s warm weather meant lacing up my cleats on the ball diamond and hot afternoons spent on the golf course. In fall we moved indoors serving aces on the volleyball court. Winter of course meant stepping into the crisp cool air of the arena and gliding across a clean sheet of ice. Spring meant getting dirty on the rugby pitch and getting the bike out of the shed for another full year of sports. There was virtually no point in my childhood that wasn’t centred around athletics in some proportion. I easily would’ve said I’d be playing sports forever, enticed by the competition, excitement and exercise but also the camaraderie of being on a team and with friends.  

   However that ambition took a hit in the fall of 2007. At just the young age of 15 I had a small stroke after a hockey game and was diagnosed with the rare condition called moyamoya disease. As a result I was forced to back off sports until corrective surgery could be performed. This was not easy to do in the middle of the high school volleyball season as well as midget hockey tryouts but I agreed to slow down for a bit. Of course the goal was to recover quickly and jump right back into the fast paced world of competitive sports. 
What I didn’t expect was suffering a massive stroke after my surgery, requiring 8 months of recovery, relearning to walk and limited use of my left arm and hand. By the time I moved home and returned to school it was obvious that playing competitive sports was not going to be possible. But I was not ready to have sports exit my life completely. A year after my surgery a former coach asked me to help manage a peewee hockey team and I immediately jumped on the opportunity, looking to give back to a community organization that supported me so much during my struggles. I managed for 4 seasons, claiming one provincial championship and hopefully will coach again in the future. In the summer of 2011 I began scorekeeping for a local men’s fastball team, which meant returning to the diamond every week. I also began to play golf using only one hand to swing the club. This technique was a challenge to adapt to but it’s still a very enjoyable pastime in the summer months. During my time in college I delivered the sports reports during the afternoon news in the college radio station CJIQ FM. I also worked part time at the radio station in Stratford producing the Toronto Blue Jays and Stratford Cullitons broadcasts that were aired each week. This was a great integration of my passion for sports and broadcasting.

   But my most recent involvement in sports began in 2014. The public address announcer for the local junior hockey team, the Tavistock Braves was leaving for school and I was approached about being the new PA announcer and in arena DJ. Having followed the Braves for my whole life and wanting to keep putting a broadcasting diploma to use, accepting the position was a no-brainer. I began announcing at the games that fall and I’m now in my 4th season with the organization and absolutely love being a part of bringing junior hockey to the community. Having attended Braves games every week for 4 years while my older brother was on the team, it’s been great following the team closely once again.  

   Along with delivering entertainment, the Braves have really expanded their services in recent years hosting events like golf tournaments, alumni dinners, cancer awareness games and public school nights for local kids. The team also participates in local events like parades and community food drives. Of course, the Braves also deliver an invaluable service of offering local hockey players who have graduated from minor hockey the chance to continue playing competitively. 

   However running a junior hockey team is not something that happens automatically and can easily be taken for granted, so it’s important to remember the countless individuals who pour their energy and free time into keeping the week-to-week operations going. Executive members, coaches, people at the gate, those selling 50/50 tickets, the people counting the money and planning the events as well as countless others who don’t get the recognition they deserve, so the next time you attend a local game thank those that put in the work to make it a successful and enjoyable experience. 
   

   Of course, the other major contributors in local sports are the sponsors. These generous people are literally investing in this community endeavour and do it to help contribute to and enhance community life. It can be easy to skim over the sponsor advertisements or announcements at games but please take the time to thank these donors and make sure to support their initiatives as well. The Braves have done a good job this season at recognizing specific sponsors through presentations before games, highlighting the donors and bringing more light to the specific services they offer.
  

   Along with the goal of icing a winning team the Braves have also been advocates for community spirit, honouring veterans on Remembrance Day and last year even invited a local player who had suffered a severe head injury to speak before a game on the importance of player safety.   

   If you’re going to take one thing from this article I hope it’s that even though you might not be able to participate in something like you once did, know that if it’s a passion of yours there are always ways to be involved. I may not play hockey anymore but being the voice of a hockey team has always been a dream of mine and getting to go to the arena every week is something that doesn’t get old. Also, being a member of the Tavistock Braves organization is something I can definitely feel pride in stating. 

   So a huge thank you goes out to the entire Braves executive for the opportunity. Thanks also to the sponsors, players, fans and all volunteers for making my dream possible. Thanks as well to my partner in the booth Wayne Triemstra for running the clock and giving me one less thing to worry about.  

   Thanks also are needed for my friends, family and everyone who has supported me along the way. Hockey will always have a special place in my heart and I thank God for giving me this platform to experience it and represent my community and passion for the game.

Jesse Yantzi - November 2017