(Shane Benz/ Facebook)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Redcliff hockey coach mourns loss of former player

Oct 24, 2020 | 5:43 PM

REDCLIFF, AB– For hockey coach Ryan Scmiedge it was heartbreaking disbelief when he got the news that one his former players passed away tragically in a car accident in Ontario.

That player was 19-year-old Austin Benz. Ontario Provincial Police said the vehicle left the road at around 8:30 p.m.Thursday and struck a home near Avonmore, Ontario. Benz was pronounced dead at the scene.

“It’s definitely tough for the hockey community or the community in general when you lose one of your youth. It makes everyone hug their kids a little longer I think,” he said.

Scmiedge coached Benz since he was around five or six for the Redcliff Minor Hockey Association.

“Over the 12 years I coached him he wore either an A or a C probably four of those seasons. He was always super respectful to everyone, the coaches. You never had any issues with him being a back talker or acting up or anything” he said.

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On the ice, according to Schiedge, Benz would wear the number 18 and was known as a player who wore his heart on his sleeve and a team player.

“I think he played for the love of the game,” he said.

“When I think Austin. I don’t just think hockey player. I think ‘wow this is a great person’’’ he said.

Scmeidge says, so far the community has reached out by creating a GoFundMe page.

A link can be found here.