Organizers of a local holiday hockey tournament have rearranged the schedule to allow Ryder MacDougall’s team to attend his funeral.
“Being his teammate and brother, we wouldn’t want to miss something like that, his funeral,” goaltender Riley Nowoczin said.
According to RCMP, Ryder and Radek MacDougall were killed by their father at his home in Spruce Grove on Monday, Dec. 19. Corry MacDougall then took his own life.
READ MORE: 3 people found dead in Spruce Grove house, 2 were children
Both Ryder and Radek were avid hockey players and had moved from Whitecourt to Spruce Grove to play on more competitive teams.
Thirteen-year-old Ryder played on the Parkland Athletic Club’s Bantam AA Timberwolves, while his 11-year-old brother, Radek, played on the Pee Wee Sabertooths.
The Timberwolves are playing in the Edmonton Invitational Bantam Tournament of Champions starting Tuesday.
“We’re trying to do our best,” Ryder’s teammate Colby Werzun said Tuesday, adding the team is doing “better.”
“We have the badges and we got these ribbons,” Werzun said. “We have a ‘3’ on our jerseys and a sticker on the back of our helmets, just to know he’s always there.”
Werzun described Ryder as a funny, “all-around good guy” who always tried to keep the team in good spirits.
“He was always one to be there for you and have your back,” Nowoczin added. “If somebody came and ran the goalie, he’d always be there to stick up for you.”
READ MORE: ‘There’s so much love here’: Ryder and Radek MacDougall’s mother thanks Spruce Grove
Organizers made changes to the schedule last week so the Parkland Athletic Club teams could attend a memorial service planned for the boys.
“The head coach of Beaumont’s team… I’m under the impression that he offered to switch his schedule completely – trade with us – so we can attend Ryder’s funeral on Thursday,” Timberwolves assistant coach Levi Ansell said. “That in itself is huge – to let our team go and attend that event.”
Ansell said the boys’ mother and stepfather have been incredibly strong, but the team wanted to show support by attending the funeral.
“I think it gives Tracy and Brent more of a feeling like we’re behind them and with them. I couldn’t imagine losing one child, not to mention two at the same time like that.”
“I think having 16 more children there that are there behind them will be good for them,” Ansell said.
The team will all travel together to Whitecourt for Thursday’s funeral in a bus that was loaned to them.
READ MORE: ‘Beautiful souls’: Stepfather of 2 boys found dead in Spruce Grove home speaks out
There was also a moment of silence before their games Tuesday in honour of the brothers.
“Just to show some respect and let the other teams feel the overall impact of such a tragedy in the hockey community, because that’s what this is,” explained Guy Mageau, vice chair of the Edmonton Bantam Invitational Tournament.
“It’s tough, what we’re going through now, but it’s a big moment for us,” Nowoczin said. “Now it’s time for us to step up and be there for each other. It’s a whole hockey family and we’re going to try to do this for Ryder.”
Ansell said the coaches have been letting the players process this news at their own pace.
“Any time you lose a friend, it’s tough to kind of get back to your normal life and we haven’t really been pressuring anyone to move on faster than they’re ready to. I think the best way they can remember Ryder is to go out and kind of play for him.”
The funeral is open to the public and will be held at the Allan and Jean Miller Centre in Whitecourt at 1 p.m. on Thursday.
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