8- The Michigan Daily - Monday, August 6. 2001 W - - - -, .# - - l' - -0 -, - - -I All in the Michigan hockey celebrates itself with its annual alumni weekend By Seth Klempner * Daily Sports Editor The sign read "Michigan Hock- ey Reunion" but it would have been more appropriate had it said, "Michigan Hockey Family Reunion." There were kids running around, wives talking about the family, bands of brothers laughing together, drinks, food-a-plenty, raffles, shirts bearing the family name and the patri- arch orchestrating the entire event. Teammates are so close that they consider each other brothers, not for- mer linemates. And they all looked up to Michigan hockey coach Red Beren- son like a father from the time they were at Michigan. Upon seeing each other, it was as if the miles and years that separated former teammates were washed away and they were living together in a house on Packard again. "I know our class," Berenson said. "The class of '62 has remained close. We call each other and you set the clock back 40 years (when) we were still great friends. I thought that is the way it should be with all these guys and that is what we are trying to do here." Part of what makes this gathering special is its inclusiveness. Even moth- ers and fathers of former players are brought back into the family along with any friend that a player might bring with them to Ann Arbor. "This is absolutely phenomenal," Sharon Sacka said. Sacka is the mother of Ron Sacka, who graduated from Michigan in 1995. "There isn't any- thing like it. When I come back they are still friendly, they greet you, I can't say enough about them. Parents, coaching ... I think that is what has shaped them into who they are." It is those factors that have helped shape the individuals and program into what itis, and why despite being removed from the program people are always welcomed back into it. Like a family, regardless of how long you are removed from it, you can always come back and depend on its members. Nor do the fans forget, as the more than 1,000 fans and band members in attendance for Friday's alumni game took the time sing "Happy Birthday" to Sacka, who turned 30, during a break in play. It is these fans who make players feel welcomed when they first get to Michigan, and are so responsive to the dedication and camaraderie of the team and its players that they would remem- ber the birthday of a player who gradu- ated more than six years ago, or invite a player's parents into their home for din- ner and make them feel welcomed. "For all of us it is a time to get together with friends and remember JOHN PRATT/Dall The oldtimers were the first to hit the ice Friday evening in a series of games between different aged Michigan hockey alumni. what we went through to become the people that we are today," two-time national title goaltender and Michigan career wins leader Marty Turco said. Turco graduated with the class of 1998. "Michigan helped shape us and the influence of Red and the history of Michigan hockey." It is this shared experience, which creates a desire amongst players to will- ingly come back to Ann Arbor for the reunion and relive old experiences and retell old stories. Turco, despite his success playing goal tender for the Dallas Stars, has not become so big that he can't return to play some pick-up hockey with old col- lege friends. "(Ann Arbor) is a special place and it holds a special place in our hearts," Turco said. Andy Hilbert, who played in the Under-35 game on Friday, pointed out that all over the NHL there are former Wolverines. It creates a common bond whether people played together or not and knowing that people came from the same place helps to reaffirm that bond. "Everyone wants to come back. It is not something that you are forced to do - it is something you really enjoy, with great company and see the little ones running around," Columbus Bluejacket Blake Sloan (a 1998 graduate) said. The desire to come back is also part of what allows generations of players and varying types of personalities to join each other in such a loose family atmosphere. Much of this attitude can be credited to Berenson, who has made it his desire to make the Michigan hockey program into a family. "The Michigan hockey family is a close group and I think Red and his staff have done a good job of bringing it back together," Dan Farrell said. Farrell coached Michigan from 1973-80. This is a great outing. "Everybody-is having a good time and it is great for Michigan hockey." Wally Grant, who graduated from Michigan in 1950 served on the M Club, a board made up of all the athlet- ic programs at Michigan, pointed out that hockey, for the longest time, was the only sport to have a reunion outside of a football weekend. "This is about tradition," Athleti Director Bill Martin said. "I think it's just wonderful what Red has done here with this program." Martin added that the reunion was still growing and that every year more people want to come back. Berenson has established the idea that once you are a Michigan hockey player or hockey parent or wife, you will always be involved in that family and community. What aids the popular-M ity of the reunion for these former pla ers is not merely the chance to play gold with friends, but also the chance to get out on the ice and play pick-up hockey with people whom they haven't played with since leaving Michigan. But the Michigan hockey family does not limit itself to people directly connected to the program. David Bro- phy, a professor of finance at the Busi- ness School, played for Ohio State fron 1961 to 1965 and was invited to play in the over-50 game and later to the golf outing. iN aticrnwide After graduating from Michigan, many players persue dreams with NHL team and dis- perse themselves throughout North America. Here are some of the Michigan alumns and thier NHL city. David Oliver, Ottawa Mike Comri Brendan Morrison, Vancouver BRITISH COLUMBA e, Edmonton NORTH WEST TERRITORIES rA MA SASKAT- CHEWAN1 N jYC John Madde Aaron Ward, D tit en, New Jersey Mike Knuble, Boston ALBER(I~ ueiroa EWF UNDLAND ANITOBA/ QUEBEC ONTARIOr NOVA ,tj )9Fi 5f SCOTIA 'hAN y £ Bill A N J New Yok i DE Islanders Blake Sloan, Ii. Columbus A - Steve Halko, Carolina c T r l . David Harlock and Chris Tamer, Atlanta )Bubba Berenzweig, Yil NashvillerCam Stewart, Florida O' Captain My Captain About to ester into the 17th year of his coaching career at Michigan, Red Berenson has returned the Michigan ~£ z , - hockey program to the upper echelon of college hockey. In doing so, Berenson has guided the Wolverines to two NCAA- Championshps in 1996 and 1998. He has also won four CCHA Tournament championships in the past eight years and has brought Michigan to the NCAA Tournament in each of the previous 11 seasons - currently the longest such inFE996 erenson brought theirst streak in college hockey. NCAA c ampionship back to Michi- A native of Regina, Saskatchewan, he gan in 32 years. became one of the first NHL prospects to pass up the NHL for the chance to receive an education, of which he received both his bachelors and masters degree from the Michigan School of Business Administration. While at Michigan, Berenson earned All-America and team MVP honors in both his junior and senior seasons and set a Michigan record with 70 points in 28 games. After graduating in 1962, Berenson joined the Montreal Canadi- ens. He would play for 17 seasons and accumulate 261 goals and 397 assists, the most by any Michigan hockey alum. Jeff Norton and Steve Shields, San Jose Marty Turco, Dallas \