Fifty years after their legendary, undefeated season, players and coaches from the St. Clair Saints Hockey team got together to catch up, swap stories and reminisce about the year they won it all.
"Sure, the 50 years has passed, but that bond – that's something that they'll share for their lifetimes," said Rob Serviss, speaking on behalf of his father and head coach of the 1975/76 national championship team, Jerry Serviss.
The St. Clair College Alumni Association and Student Representative Council hosted a special 50th Anniversary Hockey Alumni Golf Tournament and social gathering to honour the Saints Hockey team on June 21, 2025, bringing together generations of Saints to celebrate the College's first national championship team, as well as the championship culture fostered over the years at St. Clair.
"This tournament recognized a celebration of tradition, teamwork, and the enduring spirit of Saints Nation. Events like this not only honour the legacy of St. Clair athletes and coaches who helped shape our College's identity, but also remind current and future students of the lifelong community they are part of," said Ryan Peebles, the executive director of the SRC. "Supporting this milestone was an easy decision. We're celebrating more than just hockey – we're celebrating family."
For Jerry Serviss, who attended the event over the weekend, it was a welcome trip down memory lane.
"I could see he was very emotional just to see some guys he hadn't seen in like, 50 years," Rob said.
Jerry Serviss was formerly the coach of the Windsor Spitfires but was recruited to coach at St. Clair by former Athletic Director, Jack Costello, who was also at the event. Costello established the team when the College was founded in 1967.
Serviss, now a Windsor Essex Sports Hall of Fame inductee in the builder category, led the 1975/1976 Saints squad to a 26-0 record, OCAA championship, and CCAA national championship in his first season behind the bench.
That year, Rob Serviss was just 12 years old, but he remembers it like it was yesterday.
"The biggest thing with that team is it was just such a powerhouse. They truly dominated, pretty much every game that they played," Serviss recalled. "It was just an amalgamation of a lot of high-end hockey players who decided to go to the College to play, because it had had winning success."
The 1975/76 team outscored their opponents that season with an average margin of victory of 7.62 goals per game, scoring an average of nearly 10 goals per game.
During his time at St. Clair, Serviss led the Saints to three OCAA titles and six podium finishes, compiling a record of 100-24 as head coach.
"When you get older in life, you have a few moments like that where I know he totally cherished seeing all those guys again, so that was an awesome day," Serviss said.
From Nova Scotia to British Columbia and everywhere in between, former Saints made the trip to Windsor for the reunion, including Chuck Bosnyak, who was also a member of that championship team.
"What I remember most was not only the skill level of the team but rather how mature that team was. There was always a sense of calm no matter the situation," Bosnyak said. "Whether it was during a close game or if we were behind and we needed to pull up our socks in the final moments of a game – In the end, we always came out on top that year."
Bosnyak said part of that maturity also reflected in how teammates treated each other with respect.
"Everyone had a role; everyone had a purpose. It didn't matter if you were on the top line or if you were a fourth liner or one of the training staff," said Bosnyak. "Part of that respect and maturity was part of the culture of teams before us that was brought forward, and I think that culture carried on to teams after us."
"That's what made the hockey Saints perennial winners."
The Saints squad was made up of many former junior hockey players who united around an opportunity to not only achieve greatness on the ice, but also get an education. Seeing the success around the room during the weekend celebration, those academic achievements were evident.
"Many of our athletes and teammates have gone on to successful business careers as well as other endeavours. I'd like history to remember us as a large part of the culture of success and achievement at St. Clair College," Bosnyak said.
Tom Friesen, who played on that hockey team and was the driving force behind the reunion, said there were people in the room he hadn't seen for more than 40 years.
"Being part of this team was really integral to a lot of our lives," Friesen said. "It's a family."
Friesen noted some of the players likely wouldn't have attended College if it wasn't for the opportunity to play together at St. Clair, opening doors and opportunities for his teammates post-graduation.
"We've all had careers doing different things, but it's a common bond there we share, and we will always look after one another," he said. "It was a pleasure to do it for the guys to give them a chance and a reason to come back."
"When you have a successful team doing the sport you're doing, it's easier to bond," Friesen recalled. "Everyone was pulling together. Success breeds future success."
Collegiate hockey was played among Ontario's colleges from 1967 to 1986, with a brief return from 2001 to 2004.
Reid Innes, the Director of College Recreational Services at St. Clair, said the College has had a rich tradition of athletic excellence, which can be traced back to that Saints hockey team.
"The Saints hockey team was the most dominant program on our campus in the early days of OCAA competition. They not only set the standard provincially but also nationally," Innes said. "That 1975/76 team won the first of many national championship banners that hang on our walls, and many other athletic programs at St. Clair College have since followed suit, proving winning is contagious."
"They truly served as the foundation of success upon which many future recruitment efforts have been built."
