Brandon Metske's teammates host memorial hockey tournament in Lucknow

"Brandon Metske played each and every hockey game for his team. When he put on the Lucknow Sepoys jersey, he played with heart and soul, every time. He was a shining example of what it means to be a Lucknow Sepoy.

"He was a warrior on the ice, always battling hard for the puck. He was a soldier for his team. His efforts didn't always get recognized on the game sheet, but his teammates knew and appreciated that his hard work and determination often helped to put their names on the game sheet."

Such is the tribute to the 11-year-old Peewee rep. hockey player who died in a tragic accident April 24. In his memory, Brandon's teammates, family and friends hosted a fun hockey tournament Saturday at the Lucknow Arena.

The Brandon Metske Memorial Hockey Day welcomed teams, from Atom to Midget, the same divisions as Brandon (Peewee) and his siblings, Andrew (Atom), Megan (Bantam) and Colton (Midget). Teams came from Goderich, Mount Forest and Arthur to face off against the Lucknow Sepoys.

Besides the hockey games, the event featured a silent auction, and the sale of "Heart and Soul" items. Brandon's parents, Mike and Tina, said the money will go toward Lucknow Minor Hockey.

The Metskes presented Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards to the player of the game on each team at the tournament.

Brandon's hockey coach Jonathan Nelson said the team had a motto (attributed to John Wooden UCLA basketball coach from 1948-74): "It is amazing what you can accomplish when you don’t care who gets the credit."

"Brandon was a shining example of this. He worked so hard and always gave everything that he had to give.”