Charity game nets contribution to Southgate hockey

Organizers of the second annual Southgate Alumni Charity Hockey game were at the Southgate City Council meeting on July 19. They were there to present a check for $613 from donations raised to benefit Southgate Hockey through the Southgate Parks & Rec.

The second Annual Alumni Game was played May 20. The event had three father-and-son combos and two sets of brothers playing.

During the game, we also honored Jerry and Pat Balogh, former Southgate Hockey Association officers/coach. Their son Erik and grandsons, Tyler and Nick, played in the game.

The group also honored John Molnar, a former coach, who at 70+ teaches Tai Chi in Southgate.

Graduates from all four Southgate high schools - Anderson, Aquinas, Schafer and Southgate – participated in the game.

PAT AND JERRY BALOGH

Pat was the treasurer of the

Southgate Hockey Association from the time the association started around 1972, for 10 years. Jerry coached for SHA for those 10 years as well. Their sons Erik and Darrin as well as two of their grandsons Nick and

Tyler all played for the Southgate Hockey Association. All four of their grandsons, Jake, Alec, Nick and Tyler graduated from Southgate Anderson.

Erik has fond memories of hanging out in the balcony, waiting for his mom and dad to finish a board meeting.

Coach John Molnar

John spent many days and nights at Southgate Ice Rink with his kids John, David and Dorothy in the 1970s and 80s. He was a rink guard during open skating and then served as assistant coach with Bob Engerer in Bantam. He then stepped up to coach the Midget Spitfires for four seasons – coaching his son and some other players on the ice tonight. John also played in over 30 and over 50 leagues, retiring from rec hockey in 2000.

He currently teaches Tai Chi in this complex through the Southgate Parks and Rec.

In addition to his three children, Coach has nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren. He is a 1960 graduate of Taylor High School and retired from General Motors in 1993. He played in an over 50 hockey league, before retiring from rec hockey in 2000.