KITCHENER -- A longtime Kitchener minor hockey coach and trainer was honoured Wednesday night at the Midget AAA Kitchener Jr. Rangers playoff game, less than a week after his death.
"He's touched a lot of lives, so it's just an appreciation," said Head Coach of the Midget AAA Rangers Dave Clipper.
Al Scheklesky’s family was in attendance for a ceremony before the game where they were presented with flowers and held a moment of silence.
"Now his family can see who his outside family was at the rink," said Assistant Coach Chris Stephens.
Scheklesky was a trainer for the Midget AAA Kitchener Jr. Rangers as well as coach of the Rangers' nine-year-old team.
He died after collapsing during a road game in Windsor.
"In the process of unloading all the materials out, he felt a strain in his neck," explains Stephens.
The situation escalated: Scheklesky collapsed. He was resuscitated with CPR and brought to a Windsor hospital.
"That was the last time we that we saw him, so it's a little tough there," Stephens says.
Scheklesky passed away last Thursday night. An obituary for the man says that he died of cardiac arrhythmia.
The team says Scheklesky was a go-to guy.
He had food ready before the games, he had their laundry done before and after games, the stuff that most guys don’t want to do, that’s what Al did,” said Stephens.
Coaching staff noting the tragedy has brought the team together.
“We met one night and we just talked for an hour and a half, two hours, just about the good times we had with Al. You can really see the kids coming together," said Clipper.
The team now hoping to continue fighting through the playoff season in his honour.
"We're moving forward for Al. Al wouldn't want us to worry about it, Al would want us to carry on, be a team," said Stephens.
A celebration of life for Scheklesky will be held at Bingemans Conference Centre February 22.
