By: Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
All eyes were on the ice at the Atlas Tube Recreation Centre in Belle River on Sunday afternoon, as an impressive line-up of NHL Alumni faced-off against a team comprised of local Law Enforcement personnel.
This was the fourth annual time the NHL Alumni Vs. Law Enforcement hockey game has taken place in Essex County, Constable Jim Chauvin said, who has been involved with the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics for over two-and-a-half-decades.
Chauvin enjoys every moment he gets to spread awareness or raise funds for the Special Olympics athletes.
“It’s all about our athletes,” Chauvin said rink-side. The hockey game – which had a full house of fans in the stands – is one of several fundraisers hosted locally in support of Special Olympics Ontario Athletes.
It is also about being involved in the community and having fun with the officers and the NHL alumni who lace up to play.
Chavin believes the former NHLers who get involved really enjoy playing for the cause. Through www.benefithockey.com, a handful of similar games are planned in other communities and Chauvin noted many have the same guys listed on the roster.
Organizers also try to get former professional athletes close to their hometowns to play to help get the local communities engaged.
One of the players suiting up for the NHL Alumni team was Todd Warriner, who was born in Blenheim and went on to play professionally for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Phoenix Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Nashville Predators.
He also played for the Windsor Spitfires from 1990-1993.
Now that he is home, having recently returned from coaching in Europe, he said it was nice to help out.
Playing these games is always fun, because “you get to run into old teammates and people that you know from the area when you grew up here,” Warriner commented.
“It’s always fun to get back in the dressing room. “It was a fun game. It was great to be part of it,” he added, admitting it had been a while since he had played and took a long warm-up to prepare. “It was nice to get back on the ice either way, and connect with some guys I know.”
Warriner said he has been an ambassador for Special Olympics going back to when he was in his early 20s. There was a Special Olympics meet held in Chatham then, and he got to speak at the event and hand out medals to the winners.
A few years ago, he was part of another Special Olympics event in Chatham, where he was able to share his own Olympic outfit kit and medal with the athletes. He was also able to speak about his experience in Lillehammer in 1994, where he was part of the Canadian Ice Hockey team that won Silver.
He had a relative, through his wife, who was a participant in Special Olympics for many years.
“I’ll always do whatever I can, especially for Special Olympics, especially in the area here when I’m lucky enough to be home,” he said.
He added it was also fun to play against Law Enforcement, some of the individuals he knew from being at Spitfire games and from around the community.
“It’s nice as former players, too, to rub elbows with these guys. They are always doing great work.”
The OPP officers also look forward to playing, Chauvin said.
“It is all for a good cause, it’s all fun.”
17-year-old Windsor-Essex figure skater, Breanna Williams, took the opportunity to perform one of her routines during an intermission. Last year, she won gold at the Special Olympics World Winter Games held in Turin, Italy.
Performing during the game gave her the chance to show off her skills, bring her medals, and tell the community what the Special Olympics means to her.
Williams has been figure skating since she was four-and-a-half years old. Earning the gold last year felt good, she said.
Typically, the young athlete practices four-days a week, though extra training time went into preparing for that trip to Italy.
Her favourite part of skating is performing the spins, and she was happy to support the NHL Alumni Vs. Law Enforcement hockey game as someone who has benefited and done well through Special Olympics.
Chauvin was chosen to represent Ontario in Torino during the Law Enforcement Torch Run final leg heading to the Special Olympics World Winter Games.
“We are here to support them,” Chauvin said of the Special Olympic athletes.
Chauvin noted the NHL Alumni Vs. Law Enforcement hockey game used to be hosted in Windsor previously, and when he was approached to host it in the county, he did not hesitate.
He said it is a great time of year where people have some downtime and may be looking for something fun to do. This game also gives hockey fans a chance to see some of their favourite players that they used to follow on the ice again.
“It is just a great opportunity to humanize this, to show that professional athletes and police get together and all for a good cause,” he said.
Up next, Chauvin noted a Polar Plunge will take place in Leamington at the Nature Fresh Farms Centre on February 20 also in support of Special Olympics. Another will take place in LaSalle on February 6 and in Windsor on February 27.
This will be the first year they are hosting the Polar Plunge in the County.
In terms of Special Olympics meets, Chauvin said there are some local games planned for London in addition to school games.
