An Okotoks Midget AA Oiler wore the “C” on his chest with honour when his team won the provincial championship, but he was more proud to have the memory of a teammate in his heart.
The Oilers won the gold medal by downing the Barrhead Steelers 4-1 March 19 in Slave Lake. When the final buzzer sounded the Oilers paid tribute to Colton Briggs, a goalie who took his own life in October at the age of 17.
“We think about Colton every game — his jersey is always up at our games in the dressing room,” said Oilers captain Zak Johns. “After the game we gathered together as a team and started chanting: ‘Briggs, Briggs, Briggs.”’
The Oilers then presented a gold medal to Colton’s parents, Steve and Jennifer, who were then asked to join in a celebratory team picture.
Johns said the team’s road to provincials had been a hard one, but the Oilers were able to bond after the tragedy.
“You wouldn’t think something like this would ever happen to your team and it really affects you,” Johns said. “But we had 18 people that we were able to talk about it. It was tough, but I think it brought us closer together. Every day, even at practice, we wanted to make it count because you don’t know what is going to happen.”
Steven and Jennifer both said it was important for them to be at the provincial tournament.
“We went up to Slave Lake because we felt it was our place — if Colton had still been alive we would have been there,” Steven said.
He said he has a special feeling in his heart
for the team.
“I went down and talked to the team the same day (of Colton’s death),” Steve said. “I told them, and my message never changed, what Colton did was not right. He was in a dark place at the time. I told them, if they have any problems to talk to somebody. There is always someone to help them.”
He also thanked the team for their kindness to their son, who had been with the team for only a month-and-a-half, having played the majority of his career in Black Diamond.
“When I walked into the dressing room I saw how hurt they were,” Steven said. “I wanted to put my grief aside, in order to help them.”
He said he is proud of how the team handled the tragedy.
“We knew these kids kept Colton in their hearts so going to Slave Lake was a no-brainer,” he said.
He added the young men didn’t shy away from the tragedy, which would have been the easy thing to do.
The Briggs’ had mixed feelings when the team won the gold medal.
“I felt extreme happiness, but there was so much sorrow, it was unbelievable,” Steve said. “I was sitting there bawling and the team skated up and asked us to be in the team picture.”
He added each player then approached the family to share kind words and memories of Colton.
“They are an amazing group of kids,” Steve said. “They could have swept us under and forgot about Colton… that would have been the easy thing to do. They took Colton and put him in their hearts. They also kept us in their hearts.”
Oilers goalie Richard Palmer said he was overwhelmed when Steve came into to talk to the team just after his son’s death.
“I got to know Colton pretty well and I really wanted to win that game for him and his family,” Palmer said.
Palmer pitched a shutout in the game as the Oilers beat the NWCAA Bruins 4-0 on Oct. 29.
Steve offered some advice to parents from which he has learned from the loss of their son.
“Unfortunately we have had to deal with this,” Steve said. “Be very aware and keep on top of it. If they say one thing about depression take it very seriously. Don’t brush it off. Take it literally.”
Teens feeling they have nowhere to turn can call the 24-hour distress centre at 403-266-4357 (HELP).
[email protected] Okotoks Midget AA Oiler wore the “C” on his chest with honour when his team won the provincial championship, but he was more proud to have the memory of a teammate in his heart.
The Oilers won the gold medal by downing the Barrhead Steelers 4-1 March 19 in Slave Lake. When the final buzzer sounded the Oilers paid tribute to Colton Briggs, a goalie who took his own life in October at the age of 17.
“We think about Colton every game — his jersey is always up at our games in the dressing room,” said Oilers captain Zak Johns. “After the game, we gathered together as a team and started chanting: ‘Briggs, Briggs, Briggs.”’
The Oilers then presented a gold medal to Colton’s parents, Steve and Jennifer, who were then asked to join in a celebratory team picture.
Johns said the team’s road to provincials had been a hard one, but the Oilers were able to bond after the tragedy.
“You wouldn’t think something like this would ever happen to your team and it really affects you,” Johns said. “But we had 18 people that we were able to talk about it. It was tough, but I think it brought us closer together.
“Every day, even at practice, we wanted to make it count, because you don’t know what is going to happen.”
Steven and Jennifer both said it was important for them to be at the provincial tournament.
“We went up to Slave Lake because we felt it was our place — if Colton had still been alive we would have been there,” Steven said.
He said he has a special feeling in his heart for the team.
“I went down and talked to the team the same day (of Colton’s death),” Steve said. “I told them, and my message never changed, what Colton did was not right. He was in a dark place at the time. I told them, if they have any problems, to talk to somebody. There is always someone to help them.”
He also thanked the team for their kindness to their son, who had been with the team for only a month-and-a-half, having played the majority of his career in Black Diamond.
“When I walked into the dressing room, I saw how hurt they were,” Steven said. “I wanted to put my grief aside, in order to help them.”
He said he is proud of how the team handled the tragedy.
“We knew these kids kept Colton in their hearts, so going to Slave Lake was a no-brainer,” he said.
He added the young men didn’t shy away from the tragedy, which would have been the easy thing to do.
The Briggs’ had mixed feelings when the team won the gold medal.
“I felt extreme happiness, but there was so much sorrow, it was unbelievable,” Steve said. “I was sitting there bawling, and the team skated up and asked us to be in the team picture.”
He added each player then approached the family to share kind words and memories of Colton.
“They are an amazing group of kids,” Steve said. “They could have swept us under and forgot about Colton… that would have been the easy thing to do. They took Colton and put him in their hearts. They also kept us in their hearts.”
Oilers goalie Richard Palmer said he was overwhelmed when Steve came into to talk to the team just after his son’s death.
“I got to know Colton pretty well, and I really wanted to win that game for him and his family,” Palmer said.
Palmer pitched a shutout in the game as the Oilers beat the NWCAA Bruins 4-0 on Oct. 29.
Steve offered some advice to parents from which he has learned from the loss of their son.
“Unfortunately we have had to deal with this,” Steve said. “Be very aware and keep on top of it. If they say one thing about depression take it very seriously. Don’t brush it off. Take it literally.”
Teens feeling they have nowhere to turn can call the 24-hour distress centre at 403-266-4357 (HELP).
