Throughout his hockey career, Johnny Gaudreau has always been generous.
On the ice, the former Calgary Flame and current Columbus Blue Jacket is known for his playmaking ability and helping his teammates score goals. On July 21, his “other” team reached another goal by raising big money to help future Gloucester Catholic High School students with their tuition.
The 7th Annual Johnny Gaudreau Scholarship Golf Tournament was held at Blue Heron Pines Golf Course in Egg Harbor City, which brought together more than 100 golfers to benefit the Gloucester Catholic Tuition Assistance Fund. Each year, the tournament typically raises from $50,000 to $75,000.
“My family and I really enjoy putting the golf tournament together for a great cause and helping the school that we all went to and were a part of for so long,” Gaudreau said. “My brother [Matthew] is still the coach there, and my dad [Guy] was a coach there for a while. It’s a great weekend for a good cause.”
Gaudreau, along with Eric and Buddy Robinson, attended Gloucester Catholic and played youth hockey together before all three made it to the National Hockey League. Gaudreau played with Buddy Robinson in Calgary for two years before reuniting with Eric Robinson in Columbus last season. Both Robinson brothers were involved with the golf tournament as a way to give back to their former high school.
“Getting an opportunity to play with both of them when we were younger and also later in the NHL was awesome. Not many people get to do that,” Gaudreau said. “Now we get to do this [golf tournament], and they help out, coming here and supporting Gloucester Catholic, too. It’s a big team job. It’s not just me here.”
Both Robinsons brought their clubs and were more than happy to take a few swings to help the cause.
“It’s always good to see everyone from the school,” Buddy Robinson said. “Just to come out and see a lot of buddies and know that you are helping give back to the school you came through is a great thing.”
Aside from the entry price of the golf tournament, funds were also raised through local sponsorships and items donated through an auction. Guests could bid on Gaudreau and Eric Robinson autographed jerseys, as well as dinner or a private lesson with Gaudreau.
“To be able to come back here every summer and support John and also support Gloucester Catholic and the hopes and dreams of the kids that want to go there is very important,” Eric Robinson said.
There were also Eagles tickets, Apple watches, golf foursomes, and even a trip to Croatia available to the highest bidder. The tournament takes months to organize, and the Gaudreau family is heavily involved in the planning process each year through Zoom calls with volunteers from Gloucester Catholic.
“It’s nice that John is willing to give up his time,” Guy Gaudreau said. “At first it was a little bit of a pull for him because he was a shy kid, but he’s really gotten into it these past few years. He’s a dad now, so things change a bit and he sees more of the big picture.”
The exhaustion of fatherhood – and a 10-month-old who is starting to crawl – wasn’t going to stop Johnny Gaudreau from running a major fundraiser. “She makes our day pretty special,” he said. “Waking up a little bit earlier now is a little tough, but to see her after coming home from a road trip or from the rink really brightens my day.”
Recipients of scholarships through the golf tournament are required to meet criteria such as maintaining a 3.0 grade point average while displaying good conduct. More than 30 students have received assistance from the first six years of the tournament.
“Most of the kids we’ve given money to have gone away to college, so it’s been good,” Guy Gaudreau said, adding that he hopes the tournament can also help increase enrollment.
It’s a continuous team effort.
“All the people you see here today are volunteers,” said Pat Murphy, former Gloucester Catholic athletic director. “It’s been great publicity for our school, and it helps keep the life of the school going. We’re hoping to continue doing this for years to come.”
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