DON HAY CELEBRATES HIS BIRTHDAY
By Marty Hastings
Find Marty on Twitter @MartheReporter or via email at [email protected]
Hay celebrates 70th birthday with DQ, hockey and IPAs
Dairy Queen was on the Kamloops Blazers’ staff lunch menu, burgers and cake in the Sandman Centre boardroom to celebrate a milestone birthday for associate coach Don Hay.
“My mom once told me that any time your birthday ends in a zero, it’s a special birthday,” said Hay, who turned 70 on Tuesday and sat at the head of the table for his birthday meal. “We had a great staff lunch here, put on by Angie [Blazers’ executive director of business operations Angie Mercuri] and the staff at the office. They didn’t have to do that, but to go out of their way, I really appreciate that and it’s special.”
Hay was in charge of team activity on Tuesday, with head coach Shaun Clouston out of town attending WHL meetings, so lunchtime grilling and chilling was short-lived and among few deviations to his schedule.
“It’s the same routine as every day,” said Hay, a Kamloopsian and four-time Memorial Cup champion. “Get up in the morning and go to Koz’s [Greg Kozoris] gym. I’m usually there at 6 a.m., get a workout in, come to the office and get prepared for the day here with the Blazers. It’s been a good day.”
The septuagenarian thanked well-wishers and revealed plans to toast his Blizzard of a day before heading back into the dressing room to prepare for practice.
“With social media, it’s surprising how many people know about it and how many people go out of their way to wish you a happy birthday,” Hay said.
“But it hasn’t really changed from any other day. I’ll go home tonight, have a birthday dinner and maybe a couple of IPAs.”