Greater Johnstown hockey program to celebrate 40 seasons with alumni game on April 8

Mike Mastovich, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read

Mar. 31—The Greater Johnstown High School hockey program will celebrate its 40th anniversary with an alumni game while supporting an important cause on April 8 at 1st Summit Arena @ Cambria County War Memorial.

While the varsity program has had its challenges with numbers of players and wins and losses in recent seasons, there was a time when the Trojans dominated on the local hockey scene, including a pair of Pennsylvania Cup runner-up finishes and two Penguins Cup titles in the early 1990s.

"It's a proud program with a lot of proud alumni," said Trojans coach Sean McTighe, a former player in the program, which started during the 1982-83 scholastic season. "Everybody jumps at the chance to come back and play and see their old teammates."

Forty-three alumni players committed to participate in the event, which will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Four former and current coaches — McTighe, Tom Rizzo, Steve Barto and Rick Montgomery — will be part of the game, McTighe said.

The alumni game also will raise money for the Keith Garman Memorial Hockey Fund to benefit student-athletes who want to play hockey in the Greater Johnstown School District, but don't have the financial means.

Garman is a former Trojans player and culinary arts student who went on to become the chef of the Boston Bruins for four National Hockey League seasons. Keith Garman died suddenly at age 33 after a cardiac event in October after he participated in a recreational skating event in Boston.

"We set up a memorial culinary fund and the other one is set up for a hockey fund," said Phillip Garman, Keith's father. "We're trying to develop a fund that is to try to keep hockey going at Johnstown High School. Part of it is to fund younger kids who are disadvantaged and want to play hockey. This could pay for equipment or sticks. That's the whole purpose."

McTighe said the Trojans program will honor the memory of eight deceased alumni, including Brian Wincer, the star of the 1990 and 1992 state runner-up Trojans teams. Wincer died at age 46 in July 2020. Others who will be remembered include John Jedrzejek, Matt Wincer Sr., Brian Gosnell, Jon Zonin, Kyler Baird and Denny Richardson, McTighe said.

"We're going to recognize a list of all the alumni who have passed away," he said.

The Brian Wincer Goals 4 Education Scholarship Fund provides support for senior students graduating from a school in Cambria or Somerset County.

Both the Wincer and Garman memorial funds are part of the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies program.

"The Keith Garman Memorial Hockey Fund was created to help kids in our school district that otherwise could not afford to even think about playing hockey," McTighe said. "This will get them some financial assistance to get them on the ice."