NATHAN REITER SOUTHERN ALBERTA NEWSPAPERS
Chris Wright, Susan Wright and Sara Campbell speak to the media at the Stavely Arena on Sunday evening during the memorial game for the three Southern Alberta Mustangs hockey players killed in a collision on Feb. 2.
sports@medicinehatnews.com
It was a night charged with emotion at the Stavely Arena on Sunday.
The Southern Alberta Mustangs hosted a memorial game against the Stavely Spurs to honour the three players who passed away in a car accident Feb. 2 while travelling to practice.
Mustangs team owner Lisa May says the organization has received a lot of support in the days since the accident.
“I want to first thank our local community and the hockey community for the overwhelming support we have received,” May said. “The messages, the kindness and the way people have rallied around our players and these families has meant more to me than I can possibly explain.
“Right now, our focus is on our players, their families and making sure they’re supported and surrounded by people who care about them. This team has always been about more than hockey. It’s a family, and we are leaning on each other heavily. The boys are hurting, but they’re incredibly strong. We are taking things one day at a time to make sure they have the space and the support that they need.”
Cameron Casorso, JJ Wright (both 18 years old) and 17-year-old Caden Fine were the three players who lost their lives. Casorso and Wright are from Kamloops, Fine is from Birmingham, Ala.
“We are grateful for the support and we ask respectfully that everyone continues to give the players, the team and the families the space they need to navigate this together,” May said. “We will continue to honour JJ, Cameron and Caden in how we carry this team forward. Right now, our focus is protecting the people who love them and giving them the space they need to grieve. We appreciate your support, and we ask that you continue to stand with this community as we move through this together.”
Several Mustangs players also spoke to reporters ahead of the memorial game. Defenceman Parker Ma says all three players became close friends of his.
“Being a junior hockey player, (there’s) not a lot of money especially when I’m trying to play hockey. I know JJ, he’d always buy me some Wendy’s or just crack jokes and I’ll be forever grateful for that,” Ma said. “For me, just how much those three boys meant to me and how much they helped me improve as a hockey player and as a person on and off the ice. They’ll have a lasting impact on my life for sure.”
Winger Tyson Tozer was not only a teammate of the three, but he also lived in the same billet house. The Airdrie product says the Mustangs have become even closer after the loss.
“It feels like we’re a lot more than a family, than a hockey team,” Tozer said. “I think that’s really important to be closer with everyone and everything works out better like that.”
Caden Fine, known by his teammates by his nickname ‘Bama’, was known as a bit of a jokester. May told a story about Fine always raising her windshield wipers on the day they first met. The first day the Mustangs had on the ice was May’s birthday. As a result, Fine would wish May a happy birthday multiple times a day even long after her birthday had passed.
Daniel Fine, Caden’s father, made the trip from Alabama to Stavely to attend the memorial game. He described his son as someone who liked to make others around him smile.
“He’s always smiling, goofing off (and) joking. He’s a pretty loud kid, but he likes having a good time,” Fine said. “He wanted everybody around him to have a good time. If you needed some one to help you, he’s gonna help you, if you needed anything, he’s gonna help you get it.”
When asked about the support he has received from the southern Alberta community, Fine described it as “unbelievable.”
“I haven’t spent a lot of time here in Stavely as we have in Nanton. The love and support has just been overwhelming,” Fine said. “It’s a good overwhelming, but it’s been amazing. Everybody that we’ve come in contact with is so nice and very supportive.”
The Mustangs currently have two donation funds set up. One will help support the families directly including funeral costs and other miscellaneous expenses. The team is also wanting to attend the funerals in both Kamloops and Alabama. E-transfers can be made to familiesofthemustangs@gmail.com or mustangsmemorial@gmail.com. Donations by cheque can also be sent to Nanton Mayor Jen Handley.
