By Myron Rogal, Catholic Saskatoon News

The Vonda Kings hosted a 3-on-3 annual Catholic men’s hockey tournament Feb. 8, 2020, to raise funds for a designated charity.

This year the charity of choice was the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon Priests’ Pension and Retirement Fund. A grand total of $3,115 was raised solely through the donations of participating players, with no funds raised through the sale of alcohol or through gambling.

This year four teams participated with team names ranging from “Memento Mori” to “the Swiss Guard.”

In a new format from other years, teams were configured through a random draw.  The new selection format made the teams incredibly evenly matched creating some very close matchups.

In the end, the Swiss Guards, (pictured above) went on to victory.

The event was family friendly and attracts many children and youth coming out to cheer on their dads and grandpas.  Jared Podhorodeski, who co-organised the tournament along with Garth Wruck, had this to say: “What an awesome day; glorifying God and building fraternity through hockey!”

Over the past three years, Catholic men of all ages and all skill levels, lay and ordained, from the Trinity pastoral region of St. Denis, Vonda, Prud’homme and beyond have gathered on Sunday nights to play hockey.

Each player sports a jersey with a logo highlighting Christ the King.  Players look forward to this weekly tradition as they grow together in faith, friendship and their appreciation the game.  Don Courchene, who has become a regular this year, sums up his experience this way: “Sharing the game and my faith with Catholic men has been a real blessing for me.”

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