In Memory of Shane and Brenden Collins

The Mason City Youth Hockey Association has organized the Collins Tournament every year since1981. The tournament honors Linda and Ray Collins who lost their two boys in an accident August 3rd, 1980. The Collins family was active in youth hockey while the boys played in the program, and after the boys deaths Linda served as fundraising chair for the program.

The Tournament got off to a shaky start the first two years, the event was cancelled due to warm weather conditions. The program only had outdoor ice. In 1983 the North Iowa Ice Arena was completed and the tournament was played inside. It was a very special event for Mason City Youth Hockey, and it still is to this day.

Linda has sung the National Anthem each year and has awarded trophies at the end of the tournament. Linda and Ray will be at many of the games this weekend, and would like to welcome you to North Iowa.

Shane and Brenden Collins loved to play hockey! Of all their extracurricular activities hockey was the one where absolutely no prodding was necessary! The boys were ready to go . . . and all of their house league play was done outdoors! Yes, they did each get do do some traveling and we have a number of photos from trips we took and many fond memories.

Raymond and I welcome you to Mason City and the North Iowa Recreational Arena and hope your family enjoys the trip to Mason City as much as we enjoyed trips to Minnesota, Nebraska, Waterloo and Sioux City to name a few! We're glad you're here!

The Mason City Youth Hockey Association has been so good to us! For a number of years after the loss of both our sons in a motorcycle-pickup truck collision in August of 1980 we were welcomed as volunteers and served in areas with which we were already familiar. I'm sure our presence was not easy for everyone because we no longer had our sons but we needed those days and months and years to serve... and heal.

Today, 29 years later (Shane would be 44 and Brenden would be 42) this wonderful organization for youth is still working to keep young people busy and active in a positive and useful way.

The Collins Memorial Cup Hockey Tournament is an event carried on by the Mason City Youth Hockey Association since 1981 and while the loss of two young hockey players is difficult and this tribute to their memory is so uplifting... what continuing the tradition of the Tournament says about Mason City Youth Hockey is beyond and words we can say!

Love,

Ray and Linda Collins