Jim Saunders
After an outstanding career as a Softball and Track and Field athlete, Jim Saunders turned his talents to coaching and became one of the greatest coaches in the history of Bridgetown Hockey and sports.
In 1976 – 1977, Coach Saunders led the Bridgetown Pee Wee “C” Hockey team to a Provincial Championship and in the following year, ’77 – ’78, he led them to another championship as Bantam “C” victors. In 1982, Jim again took on the coaching role. Utilizing many of the players from the two previous championship teams, the Bridgetown Hawks Juvenile “B” team was formed and they went on to capture the hearts of the community in their quest for
a Nova Scotia Title. 1982 became a season to remember in the annals of Bridgetown and area sports history. After losing the first game of the season to Digby, the Bridgetown Hawks ran off a string of 39 consecutive victories.
In January, the team travelled into Sackville to play the powerful Sackville Centennials, a Juvenile “A” team with a 22 – 0 Record. Down 6 – 1 entering the third period, Bridgetown rallied to score five unanswered goals to end the game with a 6 – 6 tie. Ten days later Sackville and Bridgetown faced off again in a jam packed Bridgetown Arena. This time, Bridgetown was down 5 – 1 entering the third period but yet again the Hawks rallied, scoring five goals in the third to win the game 6 -5. The capacity crowd erupted with every goal. Sackville went on to win the 1982 Juvenile “A” Championship.
The next test for Bridgetown was a Saturday, Sunday two game series with the powerful Chebucto Atlantics, the 1981 Juvenile “A” Nova Scotia Champions. In front of another capacity crowd at the Bridgetown Arena, the Chebucto team proved no match for the Hawks, losing 9 -5 and 9 – 3. Bridgetown then went on a five game tour of New Brunswick and Maine. After battling a long drive in a blinding snowstorm the team arrived in Fredericton just prior to game time to face the 1981 Maritime Juvenile “A” Champion Fredericton Knights. The teams battled to a 3 – 3 tie. The team then travelled to Maine and won all four games they played, defeating the Maine Ice World Juvenile All Stars 4 – 3, the Lewiston Juvenile All Stars 7 – 2, and the Orono Juvenile All Stars twice, by scores of 9 – 5 and 9 – 3.
Returning home, Coach Saunders prepared the Hawks to face the Toronto West Hill Flyers team that had won the 1981 Ontario “AAA” Juvenile Hockey Championship. The Bridgetown Arena was rocking and the fans were literally hanging off the rafters in anticipation. To this day, Coach Saunders will tell you that it was the greatest game against the best team that his boys had ever played. The atmosphere was electric and the roof nearly came off when
Bridgetown scored an early goal and then scored again a short time later to go up 2 – 0. The Bridgetown Hawks went on to win the memorable game 6 – 4 in a dramatic hard fought victory.
The Bridgetown Hawks then went on to win the Nova Scotia Juvenile “B” Championship in front of a standing room only crowd at the Bridgetown Arena. The Hawks ended the season with a 62- 2- 2 record and in many circles the hot stove chatter was that Bridgetown was the best Juvenile Hockey Team in the Maritimes, in any division. Jim Saunders also coached the 1986 Bridgetown Hawks Ball Hockey team to victory in the Nova Scotia Championships and in the prestigious Hill Family Olands International Ball Hockey Championship and coached the team at the 1986 Canadian Ball Hockey Championships held in Bridgetown.