You could say he is a giant among us. That is partly because he once played for the Vancouver Giants, but he also stands head and shoulders above others in hockey skill and character.
Adam came to the Cowboys in 2015 and joined the team full time in 2017. Since then he has led the team in scoring every season and won the RIHL Top Scorer trophy in 2018 and 2022! But scoring goals does not earn you Cowboy of the Year. That honour requires far more.
As a former top tier Junior Hockey player, Adam brought a lot to the team on the ice, but his leadership is most evident in the dressing room, where victories begin and all games are celebrated. He naturally gained the respect of his teammates and willingly assumed responsibilities necessary to help run the team... including the most important and valuable task of beerman!
What really makes Adam important to the Club is his recognition of the bigger picture, his understanding that being a Cowboy is more than just playing hockey. Adam readily attends all Cowboy events and proudly represents the Cowboys in the community. He appreciates the history of the Cowboys Hockey Club and the honour that comes from wearing the Cowboys jersey. The respect he has gained has perhaps come from the "School of Hard Knocks", but he has used all he has learned to help lead the team and set a keen example of what it means to be a Cowboy.
Adam's contribution to the team is paving the way to a solid future for the Richmond Cowboys Hockey Club, and while Adam has achieved a lot in his hockey career, his greatest accomplishment so far is to become the 2022-23 Cowboy of the Year!
PRESENTATION SPEECH:
"Tonight, I have the special honour of presenting the prestigious Cowboy of the Year Award.
To receive an award for something you MAKE with your hands - a cake, a car, a building - is an encouragement.
To receive an award for something that you DO well - skate, teach, sing - is affirmation.
But to receive an award for WHO you are is a very special honour indeed.
We are honouring someone who has taken on the role of a leader on the team, on the ice and off, in the dressing room and beyond. He's made that extra effort not just to show up, but to step up and step in, to whatever needs doing: organizing people, collecting fees, and of course, bringing beer.
I don't personally know the recipient of tonight's award, but I am not unfamiliar with his name. As the one who tallied the league stats for several years, his name stayed perched at the top of the first column for many seasons. And while he excels in skill, he is a player who plays and dedicates himself to the team on the front of the jersey, and not the name on the back... though is his name is a familiar sight on the back of various team jerseys - Eagles, Giants and Cowboys, to name a few.
The great Bobby Orr said, after playing on championship teams, playing for his country, and winning many, many awards, 'I don't think there's anything greater than to come home and to be recognized at home. This is the pinnacle.'
So without further ado, join me as we recognize a person of great heart, strength and dedication, a leader, a competitor and a gentleman."
by Karen Perinbam, Cowboy of the Year 2021-22