A staple in the Castlegar hockey scene was honoured last week with a banner raising at the Castlegar Community Complex. Bruno Tassone has been involved with local hockey since he was a child playing minor hockey on Castlegar ice.
During the presentation Castlegar Rebels president Mike Johnstone said, "Bruno Tassone's fingerprints are all over many of the banners you see hanging here in the arena, and it gives me great pleasure to honour Bruno tonight with a banner of his own, celebrating the countless contributions to hockey here in Castlegar."
In 1976 Tassone was a member of the original Castlegar Rebels hockey club. During the four years he played for the team, the Rebels won two KIJHL championships.
Tassone was selected to play for Team BC at the 1979 Canada Winter Games. As assistant captain he helped lead his team as they went undefeated en-route to the gold medal. This team was inducted into the British Columbia Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.
He then went on to become the assistant coach of the Rebels in 1980 before becoming the co-coach two years later. Tassone also coached minor hockey in Castlegar for many years including coaching a Bantam Rep team that won the provincial championship in 2010.
"Minor hockey is where it all starts — learning skills and getting the basics of hockey," said Tassone to the assembled crowd which included dozens of minor hockey players. "It wasn't untill I became a grandfather that I truly understood the importance of role models. So if there is anything that I can share with you all, it's the importance of team work. Without your team you are just one person — together you can accomplish a lot."
Tassone got involved with the Rebels once again in 2011 as assistant coach. In 2013 he was part of the coaching staff when the Rebels won the KIJHL championship.
"Thank you also to Mike and the whole Castlegar Rebels organization," added Tassone. "I am proud to have played for the Rebels, and I have been lucky enough to coach and help out. They say it takes a village to help raise a child — well, it takes a community to build a team such as this."
Special thanks to Floating Lights Photography for the photos.