The seventh annual Cooper Nemeth Memorial All-Star Day will return to Gateway Recreation Centre on Saturday, March 28.
The day serves as an all-star event for AA hockey players from around the province while honouring the life of Cooper Nemeth, a former River East Marauders player who was murdered in 2016 at 17 years old.
Funds raised from the day will go to the Cooper Nemeth Memorial Player Assistance Fund, which helps families with the cost of their child playing at the AA level in Hockey Winnipeg.
Over the years, the day has raised $105,000 for the player assistance fund, a number that grows by more than $10,000 each year.
“It means the world to us. This year will be the 10th year Cooper’s been gone, and people are not forgetting. They’re still supporting us. In turn, we feel that supporting the community is the way we can give back,” said Cooper’s father, Brent Nemeth.
Now 10 years since Cooper’s passing, Brent and his wife Gaylene enjoy seeing the many people they haven’t seen in years at the event.
Friends of Cooper take part on the ice in the alumni game following the three all-star games from the U13, U15 and U18 AA levels.
Throughout the day, there will be plenty of off-ice activities around Gateway including silent auctions and a 50/50 draw, along with a mini-stick rink and face painting for kids.
Much of the organizing is done by event director Angie Beaque. A year after Cooper’s passing, Beaque’s son Charlie and Cooper’s sister Kiana were playing on the same hockey club.
Their club found sponsors for the first rendition of the day, which in its first year raised proceeds for Bear Clan Patrol Inc.
The number of sponsors and team involvement has continued to grow, and the event has now become a community staple.
“The first time it was done, it was basically one exhibition game, just a few select players from four different teams, just trying to raise a little bit of money, and to our surprise we raised $13,900,” said Brent Nemeth. “After that it expanded a little bit more. I started getting players from more teams, and as the years have gone on, we now have teams from across Hockey Winnipeg. At U13, we have representation from 19 teams in the league — kids from Kenora, throughout the city, southern Manitoba, Selkirk, St. Andrews and Brandon playing in this game. The first couple of years you’d always get, ‘no, sorry, we’re busy with planned trips or something like that,’ and now it’s very rare for someone to say they can’t make it.”
In late March, volunteers and arena staff will begin preparing Gateway for the big day.
All games will once again be played on the Blue Rink, beginning with the U13 game at 11 a.m.
Admission is $5, with children 12 and under free. Proceeds go toward the Cooper Nemeth Memorial Player Assistance Fund.
The alumni game will conclude the on-ice activities with a 5 p.m. puck drop.
“There are multiple reasons — part of it is to keep Cooper’s name alive, but most importantly it’s trying to show these younger players that one person or a handful of people can make a difference in a community if you put your mind to it,” said Brent Nemeth. “Anybody can fundraise for something and donate every year, but it’s people finding the inner drive to do it. It makes all of us — not only my family but the entire board of directors, from Angie to the people who help with the on-ice activities, player invites, dressing rooms and all the volunteers — feel good knowing somebody is benefitting from it.”
