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Hockey Heritage – Team & Players to Remember

1951 Team (approx.) Taken at Westmeath -  Back Row: L. to R.: Dawson Shileds, Coach, Sharkey Laronde. Ron Shields, Ruddy Gervais, Art Bromley, Jim Gervais, Bryan Kenny, Referee. Front Row: L. to R.: Vincent Drapeau, Jim Kelly Harris O’Brien, Goalie, Vince Gervais, Gordon O’Brien, Donald Brown.

Mid 1950s Westmeath Team – Photo taken in Petawawa, Back Row L-R:  Ron Robinson, Jackie Ethier, Robert Cotnam, Goalie Gary Ryan, Rudolph Gervais, Gratton?, Ron Ethier, Front Row L – R: Ron Shields, Boris Kelly, Vincent Gervais, Elwood Retty, Allan Howard

1963 Westmeath Junior Hockey Team – Back Row L to R: Bernie Ethier, Wayne Wilson, Ronnie Laderoute, Middle Row L to R :  John Dunn, Pat Kelly, Jimmie Gilchrist, Jackie Nostenboom, Brian Tate, Bill Couturier, Dan Kelly, Front Row:  Peter Primeau – Goalie, Ronald Ethier – Coach

1960s (exact year unknown) – Back Row L to R:  Glen Ethier, Mike Watson, Bryan Dupuis, Eddy Desjardins, Gary Ethier, Christ St. Louis, Han Arends, \Front Row L to R:  Brian Couturier, Ralph Ethier, Stephen Gilchrist, Fred Laderoute, Stephen Kenny, Coaches:  Bob Watson on left and Ron Ethier

1967 Westmeath Winners – Photo taken in Memorial Centre, Pembroke.  In series play against Micksburg, the Westmeath Team was down 3 games to none – but came back to win the next 4 games and win the series., Back Row L to R:  Patrick Kelly, Sylvester Dupuis, Emmett Ethier, Patrick McCann, Coach Archie Blackwell, Wm. (Bill) Couturier, Lorne Spotswood, Frank Ethier, Front Row L to R:  Fraser Barr, Billie Laronde, Brian Tate, Bill Jeffery, Lorrain (Fatty) Gervais, Bernie Ethier, Bill Robinson

1971 Westmeath Girls Team – Front Row L – R: Brenda Gervais, Penny Tate, Penny Couturier (Goalie), Rosalie Laderoute, Faye Campbell, Middle Row L to R: Conny Gilchrist, Judy Drapeau, Pam Gilchrist, Back Row L to R: Ronny Laderoute, Cathy Gervais, Raemona Laderoute, Debbie Couturier, Nancy Couturier, Brenda Kenny

1970s (exact year unknown) – Back Row L to R:  Hugh McBride, Bruce Ethier, Kerry Watson, Ian Bromley, Peter Kelly, Randy Ethier, Peter Ethier, Front Row L to R:  Danny Shields, Terry Kenny, Andy Anderson, Rick Bromley, Shane Bromley, Tim Watson, Bryce Bromley

1971 Archie Blackwell Coach with Captain Conny Gilchrist.  Judy Drapeau and Brenda Gilchrist in back.  Leo Dupuis also helped coach

1976 Westmeath Girls Team – Back Row L – R:  Linda Lafeuve. Anna Vizena, Cheryl Spotswood, Faye Campbell, Nancy Wilson, Cindy Shields, Beth Bromley, Front Row L – R:  Lauri Lacroix, Carol Shields, Penny Couturier, Lucille Laderoute, Susan Gilchrist, Susan Watson

Westmeath Midgets (late 1970s) - Back Row: Dave Lessard (coach), Terry Kenny, Dave Poisson, Bruce Ethier, Kevin White, Shane Bromley, Bruce Bromley, Front Row: Blaine Johnson, Glen Laderoute, Murray DeRuiter, Andrew Bromley, Brent Leinen, Stanley Ulicska

Westmeath Bantam Warriors (late 1980s) - First Row: Luc Ladouceur, Ian England, Rob Fletcher, Jason Laronde, Denis Ladouceur (little trainer), Back Row: Randy Gauvin (coach), Jason d’Aoust, Nick Couturier, Chris Lacroix, Troy Visutskie, Dave Lessard (coach), Missing: Dave Tinney, Leo Boulay, Jamie Bertrand

Westmeath Senior Tykes (1993-1994) - First Row: Joshua Bromley, Liam Donnelly, Kyle Schreader, Lorne Laderoute, Joanna Wassing,  Travis Bromley, Middle Row: Michelle Ladouceur, Robert Moore, Ashley Watson, Jessica Nicolai, Robert Watson, Emily Bertrand, Dave Lessard (coach)

Westmeath’s Link with the NHL

by Patti Desjardins

Villages and small towns across Canada often make much of links with an NHL player. Westmeath’s pride and joy was Jim Pappin, former Toronto Maple Leaf and Chicago Black Hawk, who scored the winning goal and lead the scoring in the 12-game playoff series in 1967 when the Leafs won their last NHL Championship.

Jim Pappin was not born and raised here, but his father Gerard was a Westmeath lad until he joined the labour exodus to Sudbury’s mines. The Pappin family usually returned to Westmeath each summer to visit relatives, especially Jim’s grandparents Sam and Bridget Pappin who lived at 96 Grace Street and are now buried in our Lady of Grace Cemetery.

Jim had hockey in his blood. His father played for Westmeath teams and he is related through marriages to Ethier and Gervais clans, well-known hockey dynasties. Many of Jim’s relatives and fans still have scrapbooks which track his career and his hockey cards are tucked away in closets and drawers.

Jim was born September 10, 1939 and played for OHA’s Toronto Marlboros and AHL’s Rochester Americans before hitting it big with the Maple Leafs.  The 6 ft., 190 lb., right winger played 767 NHL games between 1963 and 1977. He scored 278 goals with 295 assists for 573 points. His best season was as a Black Hawk in 1972-73 when he scored 41 goals and earned 91 points.

Internet hockey chat lines and blogs say that Jim Pappin had loads of talent: speed, fine shot, and competitive attitude. He was really sharp in front of the net, capitalizing on rebounds and tip-ins. He played for coaches such a Don Cherry and Punch Imlach, and played with and against some of the biggest names in hockey: Mahovlich, Hull, Esposito, and Dryden.

Jim Pappin is currently a scout with the Chicago Black Hawks.

2004-2005 PEEWEE Winners

From Westmeath to Laredo – All Star all the way

By  Joey Trimm

Neil Trimm was born February 15, 1983, the youngest of five children. He and his two brothers and sisters learned to skate at an early age at the rink in Westmeath. Neil was skating when he was three. His Brother Liam, a year older, was the first of the family however, to become interested in hockey.

The brothers were inseparable at that age and when Liam was selected to try out for the Muskrat All Star team the only way he would go was if Neil could go too. Although Neil was too young for the team, it was agreed with the understanding that he would likely only play in practices. It soon became apparent however, that Neil was one of the strongest players and the brothers played together for the All Stars for several years.
As it turned out hockey was not Liam’s passion and he eventually moved on to other interests while Neil’s skills continued to improve along with his love for the sport.

Although Neil was not one of the bigger players, nor the fastest skater, he more than made up for it with his puck handling skills and his keen understanding of the strategy of the game. After playing his formative years with the Muskrat organization and additionally AAA Summer Hockey Neil completed his final year of minor hockey with the Ottawa Valley Titan Midgets. This is an AA league and was a necessary step to be considered for the Junior level. Neil was drafted by the Pembroke Lumber Kings and played for them for four years; two of which he was named captain. During these years he became bigger, faster and generally a stronger player and in his final year he led the league in points and his team won the All Star game after which he was named the Most Valuable Player.

Much credit for Neil’s success as a hockey player can be attributed to the wonderful opportunities that he had while learning the sport. Much credit must go to the volunteers who keep the Muskrat organization going; from the coaches like Mac Kingan and Leo Regier, to the people in Westmeath who make the ice. Without the ample opportunity to play in good facilities and a supportive community Neil’s skills may well have gone unnoticed.

Neil now is fulfilling his hockey dream of having a professional career.  He plays with the Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League, in Laredo, Texas.

Name: Neil Trimm
Number: #9
Position: Forward
Shoots: Right
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 200 lbs
Second Season with the Laredo Bucks
D.O.B.: February 18, 1983
Hometown: Westmeath, Ontario, Canada

Seen as one of the brightest prospects in the CHL, Neil was voted to the starting line-up to the 2011 All-Stars team for the CHL All-Star Game. In 43 regular season contests last season he had eight multi-point games and one multi-goal game. Trimm finished 10th in the league in rookie scoring in 2007-08 when he put up 44 points (17goals and 27assists) in 60 games.

During his four years at Neumann University in Aston, Pennsylvania, Neil was named an All-American, and a two-time ECAC West All-Star. He is the Neumann Knights (U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Assoc.) all-time leading scorer with 175 points, all-time leader in assists with 114, as well as second all-time in goals with 61. Trimm had his number retired by the Knights following the 2007-08 campaign.