als charity event for former spits' head coach jones once again shows hockey is more than just a game
it’s often said that hockey is more than just a game. t...
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former windsor spitfires' head coach bob jones, who is battling als, takes in saturday's charity event at the wfcu centre that raised over $200,000 to fight the disease.
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it’s often said that hockey is more than just a game.
saturday’s all in 4 als: jonesy’s game at the wfcu centre showed just how much the game can bring people together with the charity event supporting former windsor spitfires’ head coach bob jones and his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
the 53-year-old jones has not been behind the windsor bench since the 2014-15 season, but was moved to tears during the pre-game ceremony after getting a standing ovation from the crowd of 6,149 in attendance.
“it’s a good feeling,” jones said. “we’re trying to find a cure, but it’s not about me. it’s about (the cause).”
while he moved on to coach in oshawa, texas and with the ottawa senators for the past four seasons after leaving the spitfires, jones has always maintained his off-season home in the area.
dallas stars head coach peter deboer, who played on windsor’s first ontario hockey league title team in 1987-88, said the area never forgets.
“i’m never surprised by windsor supporting something like this,” said the 55-year-old deboer, who was born in dunnville, but still has family in windsor. “i don’t think there’s a better town in canada for taking care of their own and coming out for something like this.
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“you could see it and feel the emotion in the building. jonesy’s been an adopted windsorite like all of us that moved to windsor to either coach or play here.the community accepts you, you become one of them and they’re there for you in the important moments and this was as important a moment as there is for him.”
but it wasn’t just the fans that streamed into the wfcu centre in support of jones. several players from the 2009 and 2010 memorial cup teams were in attendance with two-time winner adam henrique captaining the blue team that fell 10-6 to the white team.
“anytime you can get everyone back together it’s special,” the 33-year-old henrique said. “certainly not the circumstances you want to get everybody back together, but you could tell by all the players and coaches and people in hockey that came to help support the game that jonesy had something to do with their career at one point or another.
“i think that says a lot about him and his character as a person and a coach. he’s certainly touched a lot of people’s careers throughout his own career. when people come calling to support whatever the cause is, guys will go and i think that’s pretty special about our game. the people within the game, the players, they understand there’s more to life than hockey. we’re all fortunate to be able to do what we do, but there’s always times in life that are certainly bigger than the game. so, anything anybody can do to help somebody out, guys will come running.”
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there were plenty of former spitfires on hand as well as players from across essex county, but saturday’s event also drew players that never played in the ohl and simply wanted to support jones and his cause.
“i’ve heard nothing but great things about bob jones as a person and i wanted to come and support it the best i could,” said former spitfires’ captain will cuylle, who is a new york rangers’ prospect. “it shows what kind of connection bob jones has made with other players from other areas and different ages and just shows how good a person he is to have people come out and support.”
more than $202,000 had been raised before the puck had dropped on saturday’s even with more than $11,000 more added from the 50-50 draw during the game and a post-game auction had the total pushing nearly a quarter million dollars. at the request of jones, the bulk of that money will go to the sunnybrook foundation in toronto, which supports the research and treatment for the disease.
“with jonesy and coaching our team for four years up in ottawa, he’s definitely meant a lot to our group and i definitely wanted to show support to him and try to give back for everything he’s done to our team,” ottawa senators’ captain brady tkachuk said. “i think it says a lot about the people that came and spent time to come here, but also the impact jonesy has on the hockey community. he’s such a good person and we’re all glad to be here and support that.
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“it’s pretty cool to see the community rally around a charity hockey game in the middle of summer. the hockey community’s a small world, a lot of guys with different connections. an event like this shows how special the hockey community is.”
jpparker@postmedia.com
twitter.com/winstarparker
saturday’s all in 4 als: jonesy’s game at the wfcu centre showed just how much the game can bring people together with the charity event supporting former windsor spitfires’ head coach bob jones and his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
the 53-year-old jones has not been behind the windsor bench since the 2014-15 season, but was moved to tears during the pre-game ceremony after getting a standing ovation from the crowd of 6,149 in attendance.
“it’s a good feeling,” jones said. “we’re trying to find a cure, but it’s not about me. it’s about (the cause).”
while he moved on to coach in oshawa, texas and with the ottawa senators for the past four seasons after leaving the spitfires, jones has always maintained his off-season home in the area.
dallas stars head coach peter deboer, who played on windsor’s first ontario hockey league title team in 1987-88, said the area never forgets.
“i’m never surprised by windsor supporting something like this,” said the 55-year-old deboer, who was born in dunnville, but still has family in windsor. “i don’t think there’s a better town in canada for taking care of their own and coming out for something like this.
advertisement
“you could see it and feel the emotion in the building. jonesy’s been an adopted windsorite like all of us that moved to windsor to either coach or play here.the community accepts you, you become one of them and they’re there for you in the important moments and this was as important a moment as there is for him.”
but it wasn’t just the fans that streamed into the wfcu centre in support of jones. several players from the 2009 and 2010 memorial cup teams were in attendance with two-time winner adam henrique captaining the blue team that fell 10-6 to the white team.
“anytime you can get everyone back together it’s special,” the 33-year-old henrique said. “certainly not the circumstances you want to get everybody back together, but you could tell by all the players and coaches and people in hockey that came to help support the game that jonesy had something to do with their career at one point or another.
“i think that says a lot about him and his character as a person and a coach. he’s certainly touched a lot of people’s careers throughout his own career. when people come calling to support whatever the cause is, guys will go and i think that’s pretty special about our game. the people within the game, the players, they understand there’s more to life than hockey. we’re all fortunate to be able to do what we do, but there’s always times in life that are certainly bigger than the game. so, anything anybody can do to help somebody out, guys will come running.”
advertisement
there were plenty of former spitfires on hand as well as players from across essex county, but saturday’s event also drew players that never played in the ohl and simply wanted to support jones and his cause.
“i’ve heard nothing but great things about bob jones as a person and i wanted to come and support it the best i could,” said former spitfires’ captain will cuylle, who is a new york rangers’ prospect. “it shows what kind of connection bob jones has made with other players from other areas and different ages and just shows how good a person he is to have people come out and support.”
more than $202,000 had been raised before the puck had dropped on saturday’s even with more than $11,000 more added from the 50-50 draw during the game and a post-game auction had the total pushing nearly a quarter million dollars. at the request of jones, the bulk of that money will go to the sunnybrook foundation in toronto, which supports the research and treatment for the disease.
“with jonesy and coaching our team for four years up in ottawa, he’s definitely meant a lot to our group and i definitely wanted to show support to him and try to give back for everything he’s done to our team,” ottawa senators’ captain brady tkachuk said. “i think it says a lot about the people that came and spent time to come here, but also the impact jonesy has on the hockey community. he’s such a good person and we’re all glad to be here and support that.
advertisement
“it’s pretty cool to see the community rally around a charity hockey game in the middle of summer. the hockey community’s a small world, a lot of guys with different connections. an event like this shows how special the hockey community is.”
jpparker@postmedia.com
twitter.com/winstarparker
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