BY ALAN COCHRANE
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF
Former Moncton Wildcats coach Ted Nolan received a hero’s welcome yesterday in Metro yesterday.
He was honoured at a luncheon that raised over $50,000 for his charitable foundation, which provides scholarships to aboriginal women who want to make a difference in the world.
A full house of local business leaders, mayors, politicians and aboriginal leaders gathered at the Delta Beauséjour Hotel for the $75-a-plate dinner that included an auction of hockey jerseys autographed by former Wildcats, and NHL stars like Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby. The auction alone brought in over $11,000, with all funds going to the Ted Nolan Foundation.
The scholarship program is named for Nolan’s mother, Rose, who was killed by a drunk driver in 1981. They are awarded each year to aboriginal women who want to better themselves. Recipients of the awards have gone on to earn their degrees and careers giving back to their communities in such professions as doctors, speech pathologists, teachers and lawyers.
Jessie Denny of the Eskasoni First Nation said she had always dreamed of becoming a lawyer and the scholarship helped her achieve that dream. She hopes the program will inspire other young aboriginal women to continue their education.
Moncton Wildcats owner Robert K. Irving, who is a member of the foundation’s board of directors, said Nolan stands as an example of someone with a passion for success and perseverance, while caring for youth has been a fundamental part of his life.
Nolan, who coached the Wildcats to their first Quebec Major Junior Hockey League championship in 2005-06, was humbled by the reception and said he was happy to be back in the city that rejuvenated his coaching career. But he was diplomatic when asked whether he’d like to come back to Moncton to coach again.
“You never know what life will bring you,” he said. “I never thought I’d be here in the first place so I could be back again, who knows? But it’s great to be back, especially with the relationship that we’ve created with Mr. (Robert) Irving and our families. If I never came back that’s something they could never take away.”
Robert Irving said the Wildcats have a solid coach in Danny Flynn and there are no plans to bring Ted Nolan back.
“Danny is doing a great job for us and our focus right now is winning the President’s Cup and the Memorial Cup this year. But Teddy and I have an ongoing relationship and we always keep in contact with each other.”
Nolan is expected to be cheering for the Wildcats tonight as they host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Tonight’s game will feature a march of young hockey players from the Timbits league. The Coliseum hosts the 20th annual Timbits tournament this weekend.
Yesterday’s luncheon paid tribute to Nolan, who rose out of a small Aboriginal community in Ontario to play professional hockey in the 1980s. He played with the Rochester Americans, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings. Forced off the ice by injuries, he became a coach. He was named NHL Coach of the Year with the Buffalo Sabres in 1996-97. After one year in Moncton, he left to take the job as head coach of the New York Islanders in 2006-07 and brought the NHL team to Moncton for a training camp that year. He is now vice-president of hockey operations for the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League.
New Brunswick Lieutenant-Governor Graydon Nicholas, who hails from the Tobique First Nation, said Nolan lived a dream of many Canadians by playing in the NHL.
“He emerged as one of the most important aboriginal persons of this country,” Nicholas said of Nolan.
During the luncheon, the national anthem was sung in Mi’kmaq by Holly Jane Sock of Elsipogtog and entertainment was provided by young dancers from the Maliseet Nation of St. Mary’s.
Moncton auctioneer Steve Liptay took to the stage and auctioned off hockey jerseys autographed by former Wildcats J.F. Damphousse, Jason Demers, Corey Crawford, Jason Demers, Brad Marchand, Andrew MacDonald, Keith Yandle and Steve Bernier, which sold for between $375 and $675 each. An autographed Mario Lemieux jersey sold for $550. A signed and framed Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh Penguins jersey sold for $2,000, while the autographed Sidney Crosby Timbits jersey sold for $1,600.
But the highest bid of the day was $3,000 for a 25-year-old Rochester Americans Jersey which Nolan signed for new owner Jeff Taylor of Moncton.
Nick Javor, vice-president of corporate affairs for Tim Hortons, announced that the Tim Hortons Children’s Foundation is working with the Ted Nolan Foundation to provide spaces for aboriginal youth in its leadership camps. This year, 50 youth from the St. Mary’s First Nation will be invited to attend the camp in Tatamagouche.
Nolan said the scholarship fund has grown tremendously over the years and fundraisers like this one will make it possible to help more young women. Seven scholarships are awarded each year, with recipients chosen from 50 to 100 applicants from across the country.
“I wish I could help more of them,” he said in an interview after the luncheon. “I wouldn’t be the man that I am today without the love and guidance and support of my mother, and hopefully we can help other young women inspire their children and make them stronger also.”
Nolan said he was humbled by the reception given him in Moncton but realizes that he has become a symbol of inspiration to many Canadians.
“If I can inspire and encourage at least one person, that’s what it’s all about.”
But even though he has coached hockey teams to championships, he said it is still hard to find the right words to inspire players who start to lose their hope when they are on the bad side of the scoreboard and the clock is running out.
“I think the power of belief is so important. I really think that if you continue to do the right things on a consistent basis over and over and over again, it doesn’t matter what sport, it doesn’t matter the outcome, good things happen.”
