OLDS - A renamed trophy presented at a recent prestigious U18AAA hockey tournament in Calgary honours an Olds teen killed in a car collision in 2018.
Ryker Lee from Shattuck St. Mary's was presented with the Ryan McBeath Memorial Trophy for the Playoff MVP at the Circle K Classic, formerly the Mac's U18AAA Tournament, held Dec. 27 – Jan. 1.
“It is an honour to rename the trophy after Ryan and the legacy he has left behind,” tournament organizers said in announcing the award winner.
McBeath was a 17 year-old Olds High School student when he died March 13, 2018.
He was the assistant captain of the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs midget AAA team and had been a finalist in the 2018 Mac's U18AAA Tournament.
He had recently joined the Drumheller Dragons as an affiliate player, scoring his first Alberta Junior Hockey League goal about two months previous.
McBeath was involved in an early morning vehicle collision on Highway 27 east of Torrington in dense fog.
Three Hills RCMP said a semi tanker travelling southbound on Range Road 252 entered onto the highway and the trailer was struck broadside by a westbound Jeep Patriot.
McBeath was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the semi did not suffer any injuries.
About 1,000 people attended a celebration of life for McBeath.
Hockey was McBeath’s passion, the crowd was told. The family had asked attendees to wear their favourite jersey, and the majority did.
Many moving tributes to the teen were given during the service. Speakers admired his hockey skills, as well as his drive and determination to succeed -- not only in that sport but lacrosse as well, and in school, where he was described as an excellent student.
The Circle K Classic boasted an impressive array of top-ranked teams, with 11 of Canada's top 20 U18AAA teams participating. In all, 32 teams competed from across Canada and the United States.
- With files from Doug Collie
