As some of your readers probably already know, the Okanagan Rockets eliminated Red Deer’s own Optimist Chiefs in a hard-fought battle last weekend in the major midget Pacific Cup hockey championship that was held in your fair city.
My son plays for the Rockets and I, along with about 40 other supportive family members, made the trip to cheer our team on.
Even before arriving, we were warned that Red Deer would be a tough building to play in and that we should be prepared to be greeted by a hostile home crowd.
Of course, Rockets supporters cheer just as loud as any other home crowd but little did we know just how low some of the Chiefs fans would stoop in living down to their horrible reputation for unsportsmanlike behaviour. Without going into great detail, I will say only this:
— to the gentleman who purposely knocked over the Rockets’ spare sticks after they won Game 1 ...
— to the hundreds of fans who jeered the Rockets goalie by shouting disparaging remarks in unison throughout the games, during the national anthem and the MVP award ceremony ...
— to the handful of fans who taunted and provoked the Rockets outside their dressing room after they lost Game 2 ...
—to the gentleman in Game 3 who warned me not to put up a 24-inch-by-18-inch homemade Rockets poster that was made by a player’s younger sister, who could not attend, because he would tear it down ...
To those Red Deer fans — you know who you are — we thank you for making the weekend a memorable one and the Okanagan Rockets’ victory against your Chiefs that much sweeter. We will send you a postcard from Moose Jaw.
Robert Bryshun
Proud Okanagan Rockets Father and Fan