By Stacey Tinsley, stinsley@bossierpress.com
A special dek hockey tournament was held over the weekend to honor the memory of a late Bossier Parish native.
Friends, family and the local hockey community came together Saturday, Aug. 10 to honor the memory of Solan Peterson. Saturday was also the six month anniversary of Peterson’s passing.
“This is overwhelming and bittersweet. I’m amazed at the amount of support. From day one, the hockey community has been there to support us through everything. And to see everyone come out and have a good time and help kids in the memory of my son is just amazing,” said Bridget Peterson, Solan’s mother.
A huge fan of the Shreveport Mudbugs hockey team, Solan played goalie for both a youth dek hockey team and ice hockey team. In recognition of his favorite sport, his family and friends banded together to put on the Solan Peterson Memorial Dek Hockey Tournament.
Proceeds from the event will benefit #TeamSolan scholarship fund, part of the Junior Mudbugs Ice Hockey Organization.
“Solan would have loved this. He loved hockey, he loved people. He always wanted to help people,” Bridget said. “Knowing that this is going to help kids to be able to play a game that he absolutely loved. I know he’s in heaven smiling down, watching this.”
#TeamSolan is dedicated to promote hockey in northwest Louisiana and provide equipment and fund league fees for youth hockey players who otherwise couldn’t afford to play.
“Solan loved to play hockey so much. He just about lived at the rink. He got his start here playing dek hockey,” Solan’s father Ronnie Peterson said. “Just to know that we can continue to do this for other kids who wouldn’t be able to play otherwise is great.”
The tournament featured eight teams of eight to 10 players. Each team was required to showcase at least one local youth hockey player.
One of the many participants in Saturday’s tournament was Chris Sepeda. Sepeda said a full day of playing in the tournament was tough, but worthwhile to get the word out to the community about a good cause.
“I’m glad we were able to do it. I just hope we made Solan proud, and I hope we helped get the word out about dek hockey and ice hockey out to the community,” said Sepeda.
The tournament raised over $8,500 and collected 27 full back packs for the Volunteer for Youth Justice program.
