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Redhawks captain played pro in U.S.
The captain of the Carstairs Redhawks brings his extensive hockey expertise to the team.
Dan Shermerhorn was born and raised in Calgary and said that back in the day, he was an “OK player.”
“I played pro hockey for 11 years,” he said. “I was in the minors throughout the States.”
Shermerhorn attended the University of Maine on a hockey scholarship, beginning in 1993. One of the highlights of his pro career, he said, was getting the overtime winner in the semifinals of the NCA.
“We won 4-3 in triple overtime in 1995,” Shermerhorn said. “I was playing centre on the University of Maine Black Bears team.”
When he returned to Calgary, he played in the men’s leagues. “I knew most of the players on the team,” he said. “We ran some great records and had some success. We decided to expand into the Redhawks and now we’ve got an unbelievable group of guys.”
Shermerhorn noted that the Redhawks’ first hockey season has been a “learning curve.” As of January 13, the team had five wins, 10 losses and one tied game.
“Some of our players haven’t played contact hockey for at least eight years,” he said. “We started well and had a bunch of home games. We were really at the mercy of the schedule, because we signed up so late.
“We expired all our home games already. It didn’t do us any favours.”
With a new team, he noted, each player needs to find his role and his niche.
“We’re working on team bonding,” he said. “It takes time and playing together in order to find your place.”
He admits that initially, the team had “lofty goals.” “There is work to be done, but we’re playing for the love of the game,” he said. “You learn through experience. You build and bond. We’re trying to come together and make a run for it.
“There’s stress and there’s worry, but it’s just hockey.”
The team has solid sponsorship on board, like Carstairs Ford, Shermerhorn said.
“We didn’t have a chance to fundraise,” he said. “Nobody’s getting paid.”
Carstairs was the team’s choice because they wanted to immerse the town and “provide something to do on the weekends,” he said. “Plus, Carstairs is close to Calgary in comparison to other teams,” he said. “It’s quick to get here and we like getting to know the town.
“There’s a hockey market in Carstairs and you have to put a solid product on the ice.”
Next season, the team will be more prepared, he said. “We’ll have a year under our belts and that’ll be good,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of success.”
Still, he’d like to see more people coming out to the games. “It would be awesome to develop a following,” Shermerhorn said.
As for his pre-game ritual of chewing Bubblicious gum when he played in the 1990s, he said he doesn’t indulge in it anymore. “I still sing the anthem, though and I’m still goal-oriented,” he said. “When I’m there on the ice, I’d like to think I’m making a difference.”
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