Hockey is hard.
Cancer, harder.
So when the Bow Valley Timberwolves wrapped up their season with a 4-1 loss to league-leading Red Deer Indy Graphics, it was with the same sentiment they’ve been playing with all season: “Coach Mike; no one fights alone.”
Diagnosed with leukemia, Timberwolves head coach Mike Bigland persevered through most of the South Central Alberta Hockey League season, even having blood transfusions to get the energy needed to make practice.
Now hospitalized for treatment, he’ll be relying on his team to keep him updated on their progress. Midget Timberwolves general manager Ron Ternes said the team also has a “No one fights alone” banner in the dressing room each player touches before taking to the ice for games.
In Bigland’s absence, the team has progressed well under assistant coaches like former Cochrane Generals forward Kris Keller, starting the season at 1-5 before turning it around to finish at 17-15-1, good for fourth in the SCAHL South Division.
The Timberwolves have also fought their way to the provincial midget AA provincial tournament, advancing two-game, total-goals victories over both Strathmore and Airdrie to make the March 20-23 tournament in Wainwright.
