Hockey alumni returning to BU

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This article was published 02/06/2016 (3662 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Peter Gerlinger arrived in the Wheat City in 1981 with no intentions of staying.

Thirty-five years later, the former Brandon University Bobcats men’s hockey forward, who was named an all-Canadian, hasn’t left.

“I thought ‘I’m going to come here and just have a good time.’ I didn’t have a lot of interest in school, but they recruited me to come and I thought I’m going to give this a try for one year, see what happens and we had a great season,” said Gerlinger.

“If it wasn’t for Brandon University I’m sure I would be working as a labourer somewhere in Alberta.”

Instead the 56-year-old Drumheller, Alta., product, who was inducted into the university’s Sports Wall of Fame in 1993, has been teaching since graduating from BU in 1986. He’s currently the coach of the Crocus Plainsmen hockey team, which competes in the Westman High School Hockey League.

Gerlinger was one of seven former Bobcats at the Healthy Living Centre on Wednesday for a press conference aimed at shining a spotlight on the rich history of post-secondary hockey in Brandon.

BU will host a hockey reunion and alumni game on Nov. 4 and 5 featuring former Bobcats and members of the Brandon College Caps. The game will take place at the Sportsplex on Nov 5 at 1 p.m., and alumni will be formally recognized at the HLC later that night during volleyball matches.

“We are looking forward to holding a major event of this magnitude and hope to see a lot of familiar faces return to celebrate,” BU athletic director Russ Paddock said in a news release. “The list of hockey alumni is an impressive one and we are excited to recognize them.”

Hockey was first introduced to Brandon College in 1909 and remained until the program was controversially cancelled in 2002.

Barry Gooden, a forward with BU from 1971 to 1976, is appreciative of Paddock for recognizing the Bobcat hockey alumni.

“It’s really awesome that Russ would seize the opportunity to bring back all these players,” Gooden said.

A former educator himself, Gooden recalled the fierce rivalry the Bobcats had with the University of Manitoba Bisons, especially in the 1973-74 season.

After losing four straight to open the season, BU won 12 straight and then went to Winnipeg and beat the Bisons in a best-of-three playoff series.

“We won our championship two out of three years and went to the western Canadians,” Gooden said. “Just the memories of the players and the friendships that we had. It’s not about the hockey, it was about the lifetime friendships.”

Gerlinger agreed. He helped lead BU to nationals in each of his first two seasons, but is more proud of the post-hockey relationships he has developed.

“The real interesting thing is how close we’ve all become over the years and still maintaining contact with a lot of people that played with the Bobcats as teammates, but also some of the gentlemen here that I never had the pleasure of playing with.” Gerlinger said. “We all have something in common and that was the hockey, so to me that was the biggest part about all of this is bringing these people together.”

He expects a slow pace at the alumni game, but is excited to lace up the skates and don Bobcat colours one more time with a bunch of legends.

BU is extending an invitation to all former hockey players to attend and celebrate the festivities.

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