Community Moment | Brett Yuzik out to meet with Shawinigan fans
Brett Yuzik had never worked in a supermarket in his life.
But when the Shawinigan Cataractes organization asked for volunteers to spend a day at a local Maxi grocery store, he put his hand up right away.
It was an experience he loved, but it also made him realize how lucky he was to be able to focus all his energy on his favourite sport.
“I feel really blessed to have the chance to play hockey,” says the skater from Candiac, a city on Montreal’s south shore.
A few months ago, Yuzik and nearly a dozen of his teammates helped customers fill their grocery bags between noon and 6 pm.
“Shawinigan is a small community. Everyone knows the Cataractes and the players. We really feel that the people are always behind us,” he explains.
With these facts in mind, the young man wanted to express his gratitude towards his adoptive community by giving some of his time.
“When people gave us tips, they would receive tickets to the Teddy Bear Toss game that was held back in December.”
The money raised was used to purchase non-perishable food items for the community’s less fortunate.
“It was a pretty long day! It was the first time I’ve done something like that,” laughs Yuzik. “But I enjoyed the experience. It was really nice to be able to talk to the same people that come see us play and support us!”
“Me and the boys felt like we were doing something positive for our community. That’s the philosophy of our team: as soon as we have a chance to help someone out, or simply make their day better, we do it!”, mentions the Cataractes’ number 72 with pride.
When head coach Daniel Renaud came up with the idea of spending the day at the grocery store, several players jumped at that chance. As a rookie, Brett Yuzik immediately thought it was a good idea to get out and meet people, and get involved.
This kind of community involvement is also part of his family values.
“I didn’t know many people in Shawinigan, and, throughout that day, I got to meet a lot of nice folks. It was a very unique experience,” says the right winger.
The team’s younger fans were particularly curious.
“Since we have ten rookies on the team this season, they didn’t know all of us. But they still had a lot of questions for us. They were really excited to meet us,” he recalls.
“I love meeting the younger kids. They are so funny, and they often ask good questions. You can see in their eyes how happy they are to see us. I know it makes their day those little moments we spent with them.”
Yuzik says he quickly realized the importance of reaching out to these kids and spending some time with them.
“When I was their age, I looked up to not only NHL players, but also the guys on my town’s midget hockey team. They were all role models for me, and so I realize what we mean to them,” he admits.
Whatever community event comes next, Brett Yuzik intends to jump at the opportunity. Even if it means working a full day in a supermarket!
“As soon as we get some days off, I’m going to look for ways to get more involved, whether it’s meeting with kids at a local arena or school, or working in a supermarket. It’s something I definitely want to keep doing in the future!”
