Still Serving Veterans benefits from Second Annual Battle of the Brave
HUNTSVILLE – The Second Annual Battle of the Brave went over so well that the charitable hockey game featuring veterans only will continue to be an annual event at the Huntsville Ice Center.
“It was a big success,” said organizer Steve Dermer, a retired U.S. Army veteran who has skated in both games. “We doubled our donation to Still Serving Veterans.”
Last year’s inaugural game and silent auction raised $10,000 for the organization that supports veterans and their families through career and transitional support. This year’s event raised more than $21,000.
“As long as I’m around it’s going to keep going,” Dermer said. “There’s more and more interest. We’ve got an extensive wait list.”
The rosters for Trigger Happy and Unconventional Warfare included 34 players with a combined 550 years of service. Additionally, several service men and women were on waiting lists and practiced with both teams beforehand.
“It’s just continuing the brotherhood,” said 40-year-old Josh Levitt, who along with his wife Abbie plays in the adult league at the ice center and was on the waiting list. “A lot of people you served with you lose track of.”
Added Abbie, 38, “It brings back a lot of friendships you had when you served.”
Just like last year, the Huntsville Havoc had a presence at the event with six players from the minor league hockey team participating. The Procopio brothers, Dom and Gio, coached the teams with Austin Alger, Craig McCabe, Connor Fries and Cole Reginato serving as referees.
Additionally, local announcer Clay Coleman, a media member of the Havoc and high school football announcer for James Clemens, returned in that role while mascots Chaos and Rukus did their best to stir up the crowd in the stands.
“This community is 100 percent military-driven,” said Coleman, whose late father Lloyd Coleman served in the Korean War. “Anything I can do for veterans I kind of do.”
And, of course, what would a hockey game be without an obligatory on-ice fight. Phil Maynard and Patryk Tryburski dropped their gloves to throw mock punches before squaring off to settle the matter with rock, paper, scissors.
Among the players were owners of the two primary sponsors — Steve Smith, whose company Vali Inc. sponsored Battle of the Brave for a second straight year, and Heath Ware, who owns Ware Welding.
They took the ceremonial faceoff. Daphne Ware dropped the puck and was flanked by her son Connor Ware, 14, and Smith’s grandson, 11-year-old Eli Wallace.
While there were plenty of supportive family members and friends in the stands, one skater was urged on by his students. A handful of members of Huntsville High’s Space Force JROTC program rooted for their Master Sgt., Jeff Bachman.
As for the outcome of the game, Trigger Happy won 3-1 to make it two in a row (Trigger Happy won 6-4 last year).
Trigger Happy goals came from Rich Varna, Ware and Maynard. Jon Farr scored for Unconventional Warfare.
