PRINCE GEORGE – Chad Staley lived and breathed the Spruce Kings’ way, being the direct model of what the organization hopes each of its players embodies.
Tuesday marks one year since the 25-year-old passed away.
“Chad was always happy. Chad always had a smile on his face,” explained Lynda Pattie, Chad’s Spruce Kings’ billet mom. “It didn’t matter if it was a 6 a.m. practice or a game day, he was up and ready to take on the day. He was just a very enthusiastic person. He was always off doing something. He lives and breathed the Spruce Kings player model, whether it was community service and they were out doing community programs, or off doing a march. He was a great kid to have around the house.”
The year before he died, Chad talked about what career aspirations once hockey ended for him and he told his mother Jennifer he wanted to go back to college to become a teacher. His plans to open a hockey school in Kennewick this past summer died with him, however, his legacy will live on here in Prince George at the new facility along with his foundation.
“For us, this is just the first step in our journey in athletic development and supporting youth in terms of that journey. We want to make sure we wrap all of the supports around the athletes and stay true to the values that Chad felt. He was always that person who was there.”
From 2012 to 2015, Staley played for the Spruce Kings. While he was a key contributor on the ice, he was as big of a contributor off the ice and in the community.
“Chad was a big part of our organization,” said Dave Keough, President of the Prince George Spruce Kings. “He was what we want in our kids, what we want out of the players that come to our team. Ones that work hard, are great players on the ice and even better off the ice. That’s what we want our future players to be, players like Chad Staley.”
As for the facility, what started as a passion project for a pair of hockey dads will now also serve as a memorial for Staley, while aiding the next generation in their development.
“What it does is it fills us with nothing but pride,” said Northern ICE co-founder Mike Peterson. “We provided an opportunity for the community to help support us with some of the advertising. We were really fortunate for Linda and Scott, and the family, to come to have some conversations with us. When we started hearing about the vision for the Chad Staley Athletic Foundation, it almost was bringing tears to our eyes. The focus on the youth that their doing, the multi-sport is absolutely amazing. To be associated with that is a dream come true.”
The Chad Staley Foundation aims to provide the financial resources, where needed, to youth who need a little extra help and support to excel along their personal journey. More information on Chad, his legacy, and his foundation, can be found at ChadStaleyFoundation.ca
