AJHL Pays Tribute to Bob Russell

Press Release

March 29th, 2010 – The Alberta Junior Hockey League is proud to pay tribute to long-time supporter and pioneer, Robert (Bob) Russell, prior to Friday night’s AJHL playoff game in Spruce Grove, Alberta. Mr. Bob Russell will drop the puck to kick-off the 2010 AJHL Enerflex Cup Final following a special ceremony in his honour.

Bob Russell created what would later become the Friends of Alberta Junior Hockey Society in 1980 while he was the Vice-President of the AJHL. In 1983, an agreement was reached with Alberta Advanced Education to work with the Heritage Scholarship Program on a joint venture to develop a scholarship program. The first scholarships were awarded to AJHL players in 1984.

On August 1st, 1985 the Friends of Alberta Junior Hockey Society was formally formed and registered, and Bob Russell was the Charter President. The first event to raise funds for the Friends of Alberta Junior Hockey Society was a raffle, which raised $4,200.

The first scholarships awarded were for $500 per player. The Friends of Alberta Junior Hockey Society scholarship program has provided $500,000 in scholarships since the program began. In January, twenty-four scholarships totalling over $35,000 and ranging in value from $1,500 – $2,000 a piece, were awarded at the Annual AJHL Scholarship Banquet. In recent years the scholarships have expanded to include AJHL Alumni, Athletic Trainers and On-Ice Officials in addition to current players.

Bob Russell stepped down as president of the Friends of Alberta Junior Hockey Society in June 2008 and has remained on the Board as a very active member.

The Alberta Junior Hockey League is proud to honour the successful initiatives created by Bob Russell and the powerful contributions that he has made over the last three decades.

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)