Stockfest to recognize the legacy of Cory Stock, and raise money for soccer in Lethbridge

Committee Chair Wendy Luskey explains that this year will be the first year that the girls Stock coached are all old enough to attend this event.

“He would have been very proud at the success his players have achieved as many continue to play soccer at a post-secondary level. All the money raised this year will combine with over $14,000 raised last year to cover the cost of a team club travel tournament.”

Stock was a local icon in the sport of soccer, and Luskey says the Lethbridge Soccer Association was fortunate to have a passionate coach, board member, chair of the technical committee, and volunteer in the Lethbridge area.

His passion, energy and love for soccer helped shape the sport in the community, and his ability to connect and relate to people, as well as his tireless efforts to promote the game, will have a long-lasting impact.

Business Manager Frank Spadavecchia says one unique thing about Stock was that he never focused on one team.

“Sure, he coached, but he always looked at soccer as a whole, and that’s why he was special in that way,” he continued. “He never focused on one group. It was everybody.”

He also knew that the athletes were building healthy life skills, achieving personal goals, and learning how to be happy for the winning team, even if it wasn’t them.

“KidSport was also very important to him because he didn’t want any kid left out, he wanted everyone to play. He also mentored coaches and taught coaches how to coach better. He was soccer in Lethbridge,” Luskey stated, adding he had good relationships with soccer clubs in other cities and had contacts everywhere.

This will be the fourth annual event, as Stock passed away on Jan. 3rd, 2016, and they did have a cabaret in his honour that year.

“He always wanted a party to bring everybody together,” Spadavecchia said. “And so, after his passing, that’s what we did. This is the fourth year, and hopefully, we’ll continue.”

Money raised each year has been averaged around $15,000 per event, though that dipped a bit last year, and organizers are hoping to get more people in the community involved this year.

“A portion of [the money] goes to KidSport while the rest of it goes to our LFC club which is the one he coached. The first two years of putting on the event it was held here at the Soccer Centre, the third year was at Average Joes, and now this year it’s back here.”

Luskey says what they’re focusing on this year is who Stock was as a person, and what he meant to the sport in the city.

“A lot of people coming up in soccer now don’t know who Cory was. This is a special year because it’s the first year the team he coached is old enough to come to this event. They’re going to put on their presentation to honour their coach, to hopefully give people a better understanding of who he was and what he meant to everyone.

“He left behind a bunch of grieving 15-year-old girls without a coach when he died. Who he mentored was my daughter as a coach, so she was 21-years-old, with a bunch of grieving 15-year-olds and continued to coach them. They won their first provincial medal, and it seems like every time there’s an accolade, they go to visit him.”

Spadavecchia quickly chimed in on that subject, mentioning if you were to go to Stock’s grave, it’s full of all the medals those girls have won since his passing.

“They played with a patch on their shoulder to remember him, and they always played for the patch, that’s what they said. It’s the first year that they can be here, and it’s a big deal.”

The event this year will have live music provided by the Bamboo Guppies and ‘The Rypper’ Al Rypien, silent and live auctions, a 50/50, dancing, a cash bar, and food will arrive about 10 p.m.

Advanced tickets are $20 per person, and can be purchased here, or $25 at the door.

by Aaron Mahoney (@Mahones93 on Twitter)

Stockfest to recognize the legacy of Cory Stock, and raise money for soccer in Lethbridge

What's Happening