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Karl was an `intense' bench boss -- for all the right reasons by Nathan Howes Special to the Beaver 5 | Thursday, August 4, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Oakville's Karl Wren was a forceful figure on the bench and ice, but a gentle giant outside the hockey rink. Whether it was his passion for playing, coaching his son, Oliver, and hundreds of others, during his near 20-year Minor Oaks Hockey Association (MOHA) career or his role as a father, husband and CEO, Karl's determination stayed with him in every aspect of his life, which impacted many people. The 53-year-old hockey player and veteran MOHA coach died July 25 after a battle with cancer. Karl is survived by his wife, Janine, daughter, Kendra, 25, and Oliver, 28. A celebration of his career and life was held Wednesday (Aug. 3) at Le Dome Banquet Hall. "He was an amazing provider for his family. I know that's not something people talk about, but he was very proud of his work. His intensity carried through because he was the boss at work, as well as on the bench," said Oliver. Norm Kerr worked alongside Roy Gringmuth and Karl as the other assistant coach for numerous years. "Karl was a favourite amongst the kids. He was unique. He was there for all the right reasons. He was just there for the kids," said Kerr. As a fitting tribute, Karl was cremated in Oliver's Brockport College NCAA jersey from his final game. "He was the ultimate father figure. You couldn't think about or talk about a guy who's more dedicated to his family. He loved his family so much," said Oliver. While Karl hated to lose "much more than he wanted to win," he didn't lose very often, Oliver said, noting his intensity in life affected everything he was involved with. Karl was a favorite amongst the kids. He was unique. He was there for all the right reasons. He was just there for the kids. fellow coach Norm Kerr Karl Wren "Whether business, sports, pursuit of my mom... he was just an intense figure. Most people will remember him as fun-loving and intelligent, but it was his determination that was seen through everything he did," said Oliver. He said Karl wasn't known as a hands-on, practice coach because he loved being on the bench and considered himself the "bench boss." He also enjoyed chatting with the boys after the game, one of the things Oliver's father cherished the most. "He had the feel for who was performing that day. I guess you would call it a sixth sense and he managed to put line combinations together and tinker with the line-ups," said Oliver. The 28-year-old learned a great deal from Karl coaching him, including persistence and dedication to hone his craft, Oliver said. "I was always told growing up that I was too small. He just said, `Whatever you want to do, you can do it. You probably have to work 10 times as hard. Every time somebody says you can't do it, you have to work that little bit harder to prove them wrong,'" said Oliver. Karl's message stayed with Oliver throughout his entire hockey career, he said, which included four years with the Burlington Cougars -- a team Karl scouted for a year -- and time in NCAA and other leagues. see Coach on p.16 H EARING SCIENCES Audiology and Hearing Aid Centre "2 More Surprising FACTS about Hearing" FACT 3- People who treat their hearing loss by actively wearing hearing aids, have the same rate of mental decline & dementia as normal hearing peers FACT 4- Noise has long term effects on hearing and the hearing loss may appear many years later. The results of a 25 year study* have found that wearing hearing aids stimulates the brain and is important for improved communication and socialization resulting in a healthier brain. *Amieve, et al. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, Vol 63, Issue 10, Oct 2015 INJURED? I Can Help! YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY UNLESS I GET YOU MONEY My team of experienced lawyers can help you with: · Car accidents · Slip and Falls · Disability Claims (Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, CPP) · Wrongful Dismissal OFFICES IN OAKVILLE AND TORONTO For a free consultation call: Oakville: 905.842.2022 or Toronto: 416.351.9222 email: sspadafora@slspc.ca PLATINUM The newly released OPN hearing aid circuit has been shown to dramatically improve how people hear and remember! It is the first hearing aid designed to assist the brain with understanding. Studies show that the OPN provides: 30 % better speech understanding (even in very noisy environments) 20% less listening effort (reducing the load on the brain in noisy places) 20% more capacity to remember (freeing up mental resources to recall more without asking for repetition) Take action to prevent mental decline with a no obligation 2 week TEST DRIVE* of the OPN hearing aid (limited availability) Call to book your complimentary hearing test- ($60 value. Age 55+) *Wear the OPN hearing aid for 2 weeks without payment to prove the benefit for yourself 905-465-3277 Sam Spadafora Injury and Employment Law OAKVILLE 2419 Marine Drive