Burnaby – Holding a megaphone and game roster sheets and wearing a Pat Quinn Classic or participating team jersey, Steven Guinther-Plank has become a fixture in the stands at the annual tournament.
The Chilliwack resident attended his first Pat Quinn Classic game back in 2018 and he became an immediate supporter. So much so, that he is now the tournament’s number one fan. “I cheer on all the teams,” says Guinther-Plank as he fist-bumps players as they come off the ice. “I just high-five and support everybody.” He takes time off from work to make sure he can see as many games as possible during the five-day tournament.
He says the Pat Quinn Classic is a special tournament and different from many other minor hockey events. “What I like about it is the way it’s organized with all the other activities off the ice.” He adds that on the ice, there’s good hockey. “I even watched [Connor] Bedard here.” Now in the NHL, North Vancouver’s Bedard played in the Pat Quinn Classic in 2016 and 2018. “I high-fived his stick and he scored a hat trick,” recalls Guinther-Plank.
He feels like he’s part of the whole Pat Quinn Classic tournament team – from players to officials. “I cheer for everybody on the ice including the scorekeepers, referees and Zamboni drivers.” He often winds up in the on-ice team photos following trophy presentations.
At the beginning of each tournament, he thinks the new teams wonder who he is, but by the end, they know him. “It’s awesome to be called a super fan.” He doesn’t consider himself to be a team mascot. “I can’t just cheer for one team.”
He grew up ski racing in Salmo in southeast B.C. He did not play hockey.
Summing up his connection to the Pat Quinn Classic, Guinther-Plank says, “I’m the fan who just cheers for everyone, 100 per cent. I just keep coming back, every day.”
Backgrounder – The Pat Quinn Classic
The Burnaby Minor Hockey Association began hosting the annual December Bantam hockey tournament in 1962. It is now the longest-running event of its kind in the world. The tournament became the Pat Quinn Classic in 2015, named after the legendary player, coach, general manager and team owner. Pat Quinn is internationally-recognized as one of the hockey’s greatest coaches and ambassadors. Proceeds go to the Pat Quinn Scholarship Fund. Managed by Hockey Canada, the fund supports players in post-secondary education after their hockey careers. Quinn is one of the most recognizable faces in Canadian sport and has made an enormous contribution to sport in British Columbia and Canada.
The objective of the Pat Quinn Classic is to create a top international-calibre tournament in Western Canada to showcase local teams alongside some of the strongest programs in Canada, the U.S. and around the world. Organizers worked with the Quinn family to create a unique tournament that strikes the right balance between exciting hockey, skill and leadership development and community engagement. Pat motivated players at all levels to work hard on the ice and live with passion and integrity off the ice. The vision of this tournament exemplifies his love of hockey and his unwavering commitment to give back to the community.
MEDIA CONTACT
info@patquinnclassic.com