Resch loves coming home for camp

Glenn 'Chico' Resch loves to come home.
Combine a love for the Friendly City with a love for teaching children the game of hockey and it's no wonder that the colourful former NHL goaltender has been coming back to the Hockey Ministries International Christian Hockey Camp every summer for more than 20 years.
Resch was one of a dozen coaches who was on the Civic Centre ice Wednesday instructing more than 90 young hockey players during the five day camp.
"The kids are unbelievable," said Resch. "You don't have to have played in the NHL . . . they just want someone to take an interest in them and tell them they did this well or that well."
While Resch is primarily on the ice working with the goalies, he takes part in each of the day's three three-hour sessions with the different age groups.
"We've got eight girls here which is good and we have two really good girl goalies who I think could go on to play a really high level," said Resch.
Resch won a Stanley Cup in 1980 with the New York Islanders and then played for the Colorado Rockies, New Jersey Devils and the Philadelphia Flyers.
Resch's parents Joe and Ella were in the stands with his dad proudly wearing an Islanders satin jacket from Chico's days with the club. His sister Gloria and brother in law were also watching the action on the ice.
"It's my home town and obviously close to my parents," said Resch when asked about why he returns year after year.
"You know I was jogging last night near Caronport and you look to the left and see beautiful fields stretching out to the horizon and if you looked right you saw that valley with the hills in the back and I said 'Lord don't let anyone tell me Saskatchewan isn't beautiful."
The camp is organized by Ed Sidebottom who was named to the Estevan Bruins all-time team in 1999. Don Liesemer is the president of Hockey Ministries International in Montreal.
Incredibly Sidebottom, Liesemer and Resch were all teammates on the 1971-72 Muskegon Mohawks of the International Hockey League. Resch and Sidebottom roomed on the road and Resch said a lot has changed in those years.
He feels that celebrating one's faith is much more common and accepted in the NHL than it was in his playing days. No longer is the idea of faith seen as running counter to the rough and tumble world of pro hockey.
"General managers, coaches and players are much more open to chapels and hearing the message of Jesus than they were when I first started 30 years ago," said Resch. "You just got the door slammed in your face before you even got started."
Resch lives five miles outside of Manhattan and is a colour commentator for New Jersey Devils television broadcasts. Still around the game, he feels spirituality is resonating in the lives or players and the public like never before.
"You've got the money, fame, fortune - you have everything you can ask for and you say 'well what's next?' and there isn't anything," said Resch.
"I think that Christ's principles really reach out to other people. Once you have your own house and your summer house, the two cars and the boat, then what are you going to do with the money?
"I think life is the physical, mental and the spiritual and I think it's getting out of balance."
In addition to Resch, North Battlefords North Stars coach Gary Clark was on hand coaching as were Caronport high school coaches Lloyd Friesen, Rick Anderson and Doug Fairchild and power skating coach Christy Liesemer. They were joined by SJHL players Scott and Stephen Schroeder and Jordan Schindel from Humboldt and Linden Wilcock from Kindersley. Brad Schroeder from Princeton and former University of Regina Cougar Murray Sidebottom were also assisting.
The camp concludes today, but as always Resch would love to return for another year.
"One more day in the Civic Centre is one more day that brightens my memories," said Resch.