Looking back at an emotional year in sports

Nearly a week into the new year, it’s easy to look back at some of the memorable moments in the sports world.

This weekend, we took a look at some of the major sports moments on a national/international level.

One moment was noticeably absent from the list and it was left off for a reason, that reason being it was about more than sports.

It was Apr. 6, 2018 when the bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior League was in an accident while on the way to a playoff game.

29 members of the Broncos organization were on the bus. 16 didn’t make it.

I remember that night quite well as locally, the Soo Greyhounds had a playoff game against the Owen Sound Attack at what was then known as the Essar Centre.

It was no different than any other night as I wrote my story following the game from the press box at the rink before coming back to the SooToday office.

While leaving the rink, I started to see posts on social media, Twitter specifically, about a bus crash involving a junior hockey team.

Details were limited at first but by the time I had got back to the office, the reports of casualties began.

It was a tough time for all involved in the sport, especially those in the city of Humboldt.

The way the hockey community, and the country as a whole, came together to support the organization and the city was impressive.

The Humboldt organization is back in action this season, which is great to see.

I spoke with Paul Raycroft, a Sault Ste. Marie native who lives in Humboldt with his family and has been a part of the community in a number of aspects, earlier this winter.

He told me about how important the Broncos are to the community and how encouraged the city is that the team returned this season.

“There will always be a reminder of what happened, but the team moving forward is a good thing,” Raycroft said, adding that the team is well-connected in the community.

“That’s what makes the hockey team so special is that everyone has a connection to it,” Raycroft said. “Everyone has a direct of indirection connection (to the team) that they can relate to.”

It’s hard to believe it’s already been nine months since that fateful April day, a day that won’t be forgotten.

I know it’s something that I won’t forget.

Shifting gears, I had the opportunity to cover a lot of great events in 2018.

The moment that tends to stand out for me was Apr. 30 at what was then known as the Essar Centre.

It was that night that Jack Kopacka sent the Soo Greyhounds to the Ontario Hockey League final.

In what was a great series, Kopacka scored in double overtime in game seven of the OHL’s Western Conference final against the Kitchener Rangers.

Getting to cover a pair of game sevens within weeks of each other stands out as well as 13 days prior to the Greyhounds/Rangers game, the Greyhounds faced the Owen Sound Attack in game seven of their second round series, a game the Greyhounds won by a 9-7 score.

There are few moments that are more exciting than a game seven and to have the opportunity to cover two of them in the same year was something that I thoroughly enjoyed.