FADOQ

16. Brent Csuzdi – 65

A Goalie Who Surprises ans Impresses!

Now that he’s retired, Brent Csuzdi gets a kick out of walking into a locker room and watching people’s reactions. The Winnipeg native is 65 years old and often plays hockey with youngsters in their 30s. And, let’s face it, goaltender isn’t the easiest position.

“I don’t experience ageism, but it’s true that some players do a double take when they first see me arriving,” he says. I can imagine them saying, ‘oh boy, is the old guy going to keep up?’”

The answer: “Absolutely!” At 65, Brent Csuzdi is definitely capable. In fact, he recently helped out a team that had only tasted victory once. His presence transformed their game.

“The young guys trusted me,” he says. I don’t think they expected me to be so dominant. I managed to impress them. Anyway, we made it to the finals that year!”

Hockey has always been a part of Brent Csuzdi’s life. Every winter, when his children were younger, he made a skating rink in the yard of his home in the Côte-des-Neiges district of Montreal. That’s when he decided to don goalie pads for the first time,  so that his kids could practise with him.

Retired from teaching for six years, he now coaches at the CEPSUM ice rink. In recent months, he has been put in charge of the University of Montreal’s recreational hockey league, a mentoring role he loves. He tries to play hockey at least four times a week, in leagues of all levels.

“What I love most is the social side of hockey. I find the generational differences funny. When I play with my friends in their fifties, we talk about our ailments, our investments and how we spend our days as retirees. With the younger ones, we discuss work, concerts and family. I love it!”

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