By Jazminn Hintz
MOSSBANK - The walls of Mossbank Centennial Arena in Mossbank Sask. are lined with pictures of past hockey teams and notable players. Two trophy cases are filled to the top with awards spanning many years, and the retired jersey of a deceased player hangs on the wall.
That jersey is one of two retired jerseys displayed in the Mossbank arena, and they both belong to the same person. The jersey in the lobby is displayed in a wooden cabinet with a glass front. Above the display cabinet reads the name “Grant Sandbeck 17.” On the ice surface above the home bench hangs the same jersey.
It is usually the big name local players who have their jerseys retired in small prairie towns, but in Mossbank the only retired jersey belongs to a loving community man and hockey enthusiast.
“It’s pretty special, because it’s the only one. There have been hockey players that have gone on to better things but his remains there,” said his brother, Kelly Sandbeck. “It says quite a bit about the community and what they thought of him.”
“It’s certainly not the usual thing that happens here,” said Mossbank hockey fan Vivian Bath.
Grant Albert Sandbeck was a Mossbank hockey player born and raised. He passed away July 22 2010 at the age of 45.
That jersey is one of two retired jerseys displayed in the Mossbank arena, and they both belong to the same person. The jersey in the lobby is displayed in a wooden cabinet with a glass front. Above the display cabinet reads the name “Grant Sandbeck 17.” On the ice surface above the home bench hangs the same jersey.
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Grant Sandbeck's jersey in the lobby of Mossbank Arena.
Photo: Jazminn Hintz
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“It’s pretty special, because it’s the only one. There have been hockey players that have gone on to better things but his remains there,” said his brother, Kelly Sandbeck. “It says quite a bit about the community and what they thought of him.”
“It’s certainly not the usual thing that happens here,” said Mossbank hockey fan Vivian Bath.
Grant Albert Sandbeck was a Mossbank hockey player born and raised. He passed away July 22 2010 at the age of 45.
Grant played minor hockey in Mossbank and started playing for the local senior hockey team, the Mossbank Blades, before he was even out of high school. He played for the Blades for about 20 years. People couldn’t remember how many years he played for, because it had been so long. He was a hardworking player whose passion for the game was undeniable.
“We always had basically what we called a heart and soul award. He was always the first one always in the corners going to the places that nobody wanted to go, doing all the hard parts. He was the one that went to get all the dirty jobs done. He would do anything to win. Always gave 100 per cent every shift. I don’t think I ever saw him take a shift off when he played,” said past Blades teammate Mike Sullivan.
“He was so easy to talk to and very easy to coach. Always laughing and, always gave you 110 per cent. I would to have liked to have 10 Grants,” said past Blades coach Jack Bath. He added that without hesitation, Grant would always play any position with a smile on his face.
Grant would get in hockey fights, and always with the bigger guys, pointed out his brother Kelly. But to Grant there was more to the game than fighting.
“He wasn’t a really big guy but he was very fast and very tricky, you know. He would go around other players and had a good shot. He was good,” said Donald Smith, a friend and Mossbank hockey fan.
When talking about hockey players in Mossbank, Grant Sandbeck is always one of the first names mentioned. When asking what made him so popular and well-liked, no one gave the same answer.
“Just the nature of the man,” said Jack Bath. “He was just that kind of a guy that there’s just nobody that had a bad word to say about him.”
For Smith, it was the way Grant acted that mattered most. “He was just a nice guy,” he recalled. “He never said a bad word about anybody, he always helped out anytime he could, and did anything he could for anybody else. He was an all around good fella.”
When talking about hockey players in Mossbank, Grant Sandbeck is always one of the first names mentioned. When asking what made him so popular and well-liked, no one gave the same answer.
“Just the nature of the man,” said Jack Bath. “He was just that kind of a guy that there’s just nobody that had a bad word to say about him.”
For Smith, it was the way Grant acted that mattered most. “He was just a nice guy,” he recalled. “He never said a bad word about anybody, he always helped out anytime he could, and did anything he could for anybody else. He was an all around good fella.”
Sandbeck worked as a master cabinet builder and installer. He worked for over 20 years at perfecting each job.
When asked what he hopes people remember most about his older brother, Kelly Sandbeck found it hard to answer or to describe his brother. “Just what a great person he was. He would give the shirt off his back to help you if that’s what it took. That was who he was, always willing to help out,” he said.
While the Blades were absent for five years in the ‘80s, Grant and Kelly played senior hockey in the neighboring town of Assiniboia. Grant’s real passion for hockey showed when he and Kelly were keen on getting the Mossbank Blades started again.
When asked what he hopes people remember most about his older brother, Kelly Sandbeck found it hard to answer or to describe his brother. “Just what a great person he was. He would give the shirt off his back to help you if that’s what it took. That was who he was, always willing to help out,” he said.
While the Blades were absent for five years in the ‘80s, Grant and Kelly played senior hockey in the neighboring town of Assiniboia. Grant’s real passion for hockey showed when he and Kelly were keen on getting the Mossbank Blades started again.
Jack Bath finds it suiting that Grant’s jersey now hangs in the Mossbank arena. He said the fact that Grant’s jersey is retired says something about the community in a caring way.
“Just the nature of the man that brought everybody together as far as I am concerned,” Bath stated.
The Grant Sandbeck jersey that hangs over the ice surface of the Mossbank arena was retired on Feb. 4, 2011 before a Mossbank Blades hockey game. The night was dedicated to Grant, and a no-hit game was played in his honour.
Kelly Sandbeck says what his brother’s retired jersey says about the community is what makes it so special. The jersey didn’t belong to a super-star or someone who played in the NHL, but instead to a man who will always be remembered for having a smile on his face.
The Grant Sandbeck jersey that hangs over the ice surface of the Mossbank arena was retired on Feb. 4, 2011 before a Mossbank Blades hockey game. The night was dedicated to Grant, and a no-hit game was played in his honour.
Kelly Sandbeck says what his brother’s retired jersey says about the community is what makes it so special. The jersey didn’t belong to a super-star or someone who played in the NHL, but instead to a man who will always be remembered for having a smile on his face.
This is a great story of a Hometown boy who did what he loved, but also it showed great community support for their own. What was really great was they honored one of their own like the article said he didn't play in the NHL or any other higher league but in his hometown league. I think the message here is that we all need to recognize the people from out own hometowns who should be honored thusly, not because they became rich and famous but because they stayed and supported their hometown..
ReplyDeleteIt should make us all think back to who really are the heros of our towns.