Rarely do you ever get the opportunity to relive the past.  But this coming weekend my husband gets the chance to do just that.  Twenty years ago Rock was part of a state championship winning hockey team.  The Loyola Gold varsity team beat neighboring rival school New Trier Green to take the state title.  It was a huge game that will forever be a part of his high school’s history.

To mark the anniversary some of his teammates thought it might be fun to relive that big day and have the same teams play each other again.  With a little work they were able to find everyone and set a date.  Even better they were able to secure the same venue where they played that momentous game, the United Center!

Several years ago one of their teammates from this championship squad passed away in a tragic accident.  This game will be played as a fundraiser to create a scholarship in his name.  The goal is to raise $25,000 for the Kyle Shellberg Scholarship Fund.  Members of both teams have come together and worked incredibly hard to get this fund up and running and it means a lot to all of them that they meet their goal

One of the greatest things about athletics is the great amount of camaraderie and sportsmanship that comes along with the actual sport itself.  While there has been an everlasting rivalry between these two teams for over twenty years, there is also a genuine respect  among each other.  Together these two teams are meeting to honor a fallen teammate by doing the thing they love and know best, play the game of hockey.

These guys aren’t slacking either.  They have been meeting for weekly training sessions late into the evenings when ice is available and their jobs and parenting allow.  Rival players have been sweating it out on the same ice and several players are flying in from out of town to reunite.

The event is open to the public and the puck drops at 11:30am on Sunday March 29th at the United Center.  Parking is available and concessions will be open so local Chicago runners can go do the Shamrock Shuffle and then swing by to cheer on some old, sweaty, hockey players.

You can find out more information about this free event at this link:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/loyola-gold-vs-new-trier-green-20-year-anniversary-rematch-reunion-tickets-15692629076

And you can make a donation to the Kyle Shellberg Scholarship Fund at this link:

:https://www.goramblers.org/donatenow/kyleshellbergscholarship

I would love to see you there.  And if you can make it, do me a favor and wear some maroon and gold and cheer for #4!  Tickets are free to the public and donations will be graciously accepted for the scholarship fund.