'94 Hockey Horns reminisce with Babcock

trevor.kenney — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:38:24 +0000

Mark Wobick (BSc'96) works in the financial sector and is a hockey coach to his novice-aged son; Trevor Ellerman (BMgt '94) is the head professional at a golf course; Mike Babcock just coached the Canadian Men's Olympic Hockey Team to a gold medal at the Vancouver Olympics. What all three have in common is 1994, the year they were all ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns and winners of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (then CIAU) men's national hockey title.

"When you win together, you walk together, forever," says Babcock, as much a Horn now as he was in 1994, despite the fame and fortune he's since experienced.

The majority of the group was back together at the sold-out 1st Annual Calgary and Friends Alumni Dinner in Calgary this past spring, with Babcock as the keynote speaker. The bond they established 16 years ago is still evident.

"I've seen probably four or five guys who I hadn't seen in 13 or 14 years, and it's like I just saw them yesterday," says Ellerman, the head pro at the Riverview Golf Club in Redcliff, Alta.
"Looking back, that closeness we had, that was the whole key to our success."

Wobick, who works with Meyers Norris Penny in Lethbridge, says the players reached a point where they completely trusted one another.

"I don't think I ever experienced a team that had that type of a bond. You just lived and breathed for everybody and Mike made us believe," says Wobick.

For Wobick, that has translated into lasting relationships with his teammates and successes that trace back to that championship season.

"As you get older you better understand what you accomplished," says Ellerman. "At the time, you won and you think it'll last forever and you don't really grasp the concept. I think if you look at our team, the successful careers the players forged for themselves away from hockey, the foundation was laid there in 1993/1994. Winning builds success, friendships and bonds, and this was a special group."

To view the entire issue of SAM in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - Riverview Golf Club

'94 Hockey Horns reminisce with Babcock

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