Bulldogs Christmas party

Just got back from the Bulldogs Christmas party for the owners/staff/support staff/players/billets. I just want to take this opportunity to thank the team for the kind words passed my way and the nice Christmas present.

After hearing the coaches speak and the players speak, it made me realize what an incredible group of people are involved with this team. It just makes me hope that much more that this group can come together and continue to improve and get some wins. I wish the fans would have been there to see how these guys conduct themselves, because it would make them even want to cheer for them harder. The fans don't know most of the guys any further than their interviews, and their play on the ice. Take my word for it, these guys are great kids. It was a treat to hear every player on the mic introducing himself, and then calling up his billet family and then saying a few words about them and words of appreciation for taking them into their homes.

Which brings me to the billets.

Another part of the great group that makes the team whole. All great people and families, who play a hugely important part in Junior Hockey, providing these players a home away from home. Thank you billets!

The highlight of the night might have been watching the Bulldog rookies serenading the crowd with a special song to the Bulldog vets to the tune of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Good stuff.

In a great indicator of what the Bulldogs coaches and owners and players and fans really think of their fans, the topic of the incredible support this team receives was brought up about 10 times. Now remember that the fans weren't in attendance here. This wasn't a public event and this wasn't on the radio or in the paper. This wasn't lip service. Yes, I know that the billets and staff are some of the biggest fans the team has. But they weren't the fans that were being mentioned in this sense. When you see the group together like they were in this instance, still talking about the fans and the support they receive, you know it's something special, and you know it's something they appreciate very much and something that motivates them everyday.

Besides four more games to go before the holiday break, the team is very busy. They are delivering the Teddy Bears tomorrow from Saturday night's game to the kids at the West Coast General Hospital, as well as other locations to bring some smiles and some holiday cheer. They have a couple of more Christmas parties to go, the Bulldogs Volunteer's Party, the Kids Club Party, a skate with the Bulldogs, and probably more that I don't know about.

Last but not least, and probably the best thing I read all day, was the article on the Bulldogs website about the team's Educational Program. Tom McEvay is a champ, period, and an incredible asset to the Bulldogs organization and this community. When it comes to parents and their concerns about where their young men go away from home to play, and when it comes to players that want to make sure they have every chance to move on in hockey, the priority the Bulldogs have put on education and the plan and program they have in place will play a huge part when it comes to recruiting top end players.

Read the story on the Dogs site HERE


GO DOGS.

Hammer