darrell sheehan memorial trophy

In July 1995, Darrell Sheehan was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor. After a short and courageous battle, he passed away on November 20, 1995 at the age of 39. He left behind a wife of 14 years, Donna Sheehan, and 6 children: Trisha, Trevor, Brendan, Neil, Kyle and Erin ages 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 and 2. Darrell played in the Family Hockey Tournament on the Sheehan/Fitzgerald team but could have played for the Boddez, Perrott, Kluthe and Soetaert teams as well. The Family Hockey Tournament was a weekend that he looked forward to each year. For Darrell, it wasn’t only a chance to play hockey but also a great opportunity to visit with family and friends.

At the 1996 Family Hockey Tournament, a trophy was anonymously donated to be presented each year to the most sportsmanlike player in memory of Darrell Sheehan. While the trophy was intended to be presented to the most sportsmanlike player, over the years the Darrell Sheehan family has chosen recipients based on a broader definition of sportsmanship. While Darrell was an avid hockey fan and usually a sportsmanlike player in the game, he also contributed some of his time to the community of Riviere Qui Barre. A strong community cannot exist without a solid group of volunteers and we are very fortunate to have such a group. While some of these volunteers have changed over the years, amazingly, there are always more willing to step up and take the reins.

If you look at the list of recipients, you will notice that not all are even hockey players in the tournament. Some recipients were chosen based on their sportsmanship in the game and others were chosen for their contributions to the Family Hockey Tournament and/or community involvement within the Riviere Qui Barre area. Some recipients are both sportsmanlike and important contributors to our community. Each year, it is with great honour that the Darrell Sheehan family has the opportunity to recognize an individual that truly understands both the purpose of the Family Hockey Tournament and the importance of family and community.

1956

1995

Darrell Sheehan's family with 2018 award winners Dale Soetaert and Jeff Borle