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O F F T HE D R AW PHOTOS BY Jennifer Ziegelmaier Photos 16 // SEPTEMBER 2017 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM CARING COACHES PROVIDE A BIG ASSIST TO AMATEUR HOCKEY COMMUNITY hen you're the wife of a college hockey coach, you're not only mar- ried to the man, you're also married to the game. Mary Gosek embraced that role, both in the small town of Oswego, N.Y., and throughout the larger hockey community. "When you've been in the game as long as we have, I think Mary knew everybody," said her husband Ed, who is ready to embark on his 15th year as the head coach at the State University of New York Oswego. So, when Mary was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012, that same community was there for her. One group that stepped up to show its support was Hockey Coaches Care, which provided a grant that helped Mary receive tests that weren't covered by her regular insurance. Earlier this year, Mary made one final trip to Naples, Fla., to attend the Hockey Coaches Care banquet to thank those who had done so much for her and many others over the past 15 years. "The hockey world is a small communi- ty, but the outpouring of love and support in my own case has been overwhelming," Ed Gosek said. "Everybody goes through hardships. Hockey Coaches Care came through for my family. My wife was forever grateful to them, and we will continue to do everything we can for Hockey Coaches Care so that they can continue to help other families." There is nothing new or unique about members of the hockey community rallying to help one of its own in a time of need. But when the officers of the American Hockey Coaches Association formed Hockey Coaches Care in the fall of 2002, they wanted to help people in the hockey community when hard- ships hit. Since its founding, the organization has awarded more than $100,000 in grants, with individual offerings capped at $6,000. Even more surprising, the board says "yes" way more often than it has turned anyone down. "Everyone knows somebody in the hockey community who has come into hard times," said Joe Bertagna, Hockey East commission- er and member of the board. That's why Bertagna is trying to get the word out about Hockey Coaches Care and its mission. Not only is it important to raise money but it's equally important to raise awareness so they can reach more people throughout the hockey community. "The more people that know about it, the more grants we can give out," he said. "While these grants may not be huge, the people who have received them have made it quite clear to us that they played a significant role in helping." One of the perks of Jim Tortorella's role with the organization is being the one who tells people they're receiving a grant, some- thing he does quite often. "And it's not always the amount, it's the emotional connection. They know that we care and we haven't forgotten them," said Tortorella, who is the head coach at Saint A n s e l m C o l l e g e . " T h a t s p e a k s v o l u m e s about our fraternity and who we are as a hockey community." O n e o f t h o s e i n d i v i d u a l s i s f o r m e r University of Wisconsin-Stout hockey play- er Jon Plaszcz, who suffered multiple cervi- cal fractures in a moped accident after his freshman year. Plaszcz was recovering at Craig Hospital in Colorado when faced with the prospect of having to cut short his reha- bilitation due to a lack of funds. That's when Hockey Coaches Care stepped in. In a video message to the organization, the Apple Valley, Minn., native did his best to convey his gratitude as he made the vow to one day return to the ice. "Growing up I always knew that my hockey teammates were going to be my best friends and would have my back," he said. "But it's an incredible feeling to know that the game itself has my back thanks to a foundation like yours." P W BY HARRY THOMPSON >> TO MAKE A DONATION to, or to request assistance from Hockey Coaches Care, contact Hockey Coaches Care at 7 Concord Street in Gloucester, MA 01930, or at ahcahockey@comcast.net.