alumni tournament

Junior hockey players turn from boys to men over their time in the WHL. Nearly thirty of those men returned to Swift Current on Saturday to renew acquaintances with the city and their fans as part of the annual Click Before You Dig Broncos Alumni Golf Classic at Elmwood Golf and Country Club.

“After my career was done in Swift Current all the boys talked together and made it a point that we'd come back and see each other at the golf tournament,” said current AHLer Matt Tassone. “It's a good time and you get to see the guys and catch up. I'll probably always be coming back here if I can.”

“A lot can happen in a year and it's nice to see old faces and catch up.”

For current NHLer Cody Eakin of the Dallas Stars it's a return to where he first came into the national spotlight.

“I spent a lot of good years,” Eakin said. “Made some great memories, met some great people and to be able to come back and see everyone again is tons of fun.”

“I don't think you realize when you're here at that age. Coming in at 16, 17 or 18 but you look back on it now and it's kind of a town that really shaped who I am today.”

For all the players who made the trip to their old stomping grounds there was a certain theme to what drew them back.

“It's the company,” said Josh Derko, who won a national championship with the University of Alberta last season. “When I was playing in Swift the biggest thing was always the people. They're unbelievable people. You have great support from the fans so it's a lot of fun to come back and it feels like home.”

“I've got all my friends here,” said current Canadian bobsledder Daniel Dale. “I get to see my coaching staff and the personnel people that made the Broncos tick when I was here. I love coming back. It's a riot and I'll be back for years to come.”

There were many notable faces at the event including all-time Broncos leading scorer Todd Holt, current AHLer Justin Dowling and recently graduated captain Colby Cave. Cave made the trip to the golf course right from his flight back from Boston's NHL development camp.

The tournament is organized by a former Broncos forward Jeremy Rondeau and his wife Kirstin. Their focus is on creating a fun experience for the returning players while also raising funds for the Broncos education fund.

This year's event was dedicated to longtime passionate Broncos support Glen Rittinger.