HE shoots, SHE scores! The “3 on 3” Daryl Mahler Memorial Challenge
This past December 6th, forty-six Catholic elementary school hockey teams descended on the Mohawk 4 Ice Centre to compete in the “3 on 3” Daryl Mahler Memorial Challenge. Parents and spectators scrambled for parking spots as the lot was already packed before 7:30 am. Once inside, the venue buzzed with chatter and the familiar Canadian sounds of hockey bags rolling behind the ecstatic students.
Players abandoned their after-school team colors and donned the jerseys of their Catholic elementary school. If it weren’t for their socks, you’d never know that it was fellow Hawk vs. Hawk, Steel vs. Steel, or Sabre vs. Sabre.
The teams included boys and girls as well as house league players through AAA. All were placed on half-ice with only 3-on-3 and 1-minute line changes. What did that result in? A fast-paced spectacle that kept both players and spectators on the edge of their seats. Every moment of the game felt like a potential highlight-reel play.
The challenge started at Cathedral High School over a decade ago, thanks to the efforts of then-Cathedral teachers Jeff Toole and Angelo Mule. It was named in honor of Daryl Mahler, an inspirational physical education teacher and coach who tragically lost his life in a car crash in April of 2009. Fast forward to recent years, and both Mr. Toole and Mr. Mule found themselves teaching at St. Thomas More Catholic secondary school. With the dedication of STM teacher and coach Trevor Young, along with over 80 student volunteers, many of whom are hockey players themselves, STM is now the new host of the ‘3-on-3 Challenge.’
After 104 mini-games, three junior teams and three senior teams emerged victorious with no single school on top in more than one division. The winners in their respective divisions were:
Junior A - Immaculate Conception Catholic Elementary School
Junior B - Annunciation of our Lord Catholic Elementary School
Junior C - St. Mark Catholic Elementary School
Senior A - Guardian Angels Catholic Elementary School
Senior B - Our Lady of Hope Catholic Elementary School
Senior C - St. John the Baptist
Mark Your Calendars: The Next '3 on 3' Daryl Mahler Memorial Challenge is set for late March or early April 2024.
More photos on the HWCDSB Athletics Facebook Page