Last week a new minor hockey award, the Blair Koop Memorial, was presented to Minor Hockey U15 Coach Jamie Fotheringham and to player Tristan Plaisier. Koop lost his life tragically in an auto fire in 2020, but what he invested in his passion and in his family lives on.
Blair’s four children and his close friend, Minor Hockey Director and Virden Referee in Chief, Ryan Kyle presented the award on March 11.
Kyle spoke of his friend and the award: “The Blair Koop Memorial Award… will be presented annually to a coach and player that have displayed not only a willingness to strive for excellence but also to never give up even under adversity.
“Blair was involved in high school and senior hockey and spent many hours… coaching and mentoring not only his own kids, but always helping any kid that he saw that could use a little extra guidance to help them succeed.”
He said of Coach Fotheringham: “Jamie demonstrated the knowledge and capacity to meet every player at their level and enhance their personal skills to the next level, earning him the respect of players and parents.”
In Kyle’s remarks he described Tristan Plaisier as a respectful player who came to Fotheringham’s U15 team and contact hockey, developing from a “skilled, timid player to the kid going in the corners, digging for the puck and never giving up on a play.”
