Apr 1, 2022
Anthony Hollyoak was no ordinary coach. He went above and beyond in mentoring and nurturing the young athletes in his care. He preached and practiced loyalty, hard work, commitment, and more than anything else, teamwork.
He was a competitor through and through and to quote an article in the Hockey News, "It comes across the wrong way with some people, but you need the desire to win," said Hollyoak. "There has to be something that ignites you. I am competitive and I want to win, and I got that from sports. But you have to understand that it's not enough to want to win, you also have to prepare to win and that's another lesson you learn from sports."
Over the years of knowing Anthony, it was abundantly clear that he believed family was the most important part of a person’s life; he believed it, and he lived it.
Anthony was generous to a fault. He was always there to lend a helping hand when needed. He never said no; he did not know how.
As with most hockey people, the people around you become lifelong friends. To quote Anthony, "Some of my best friends are because of hockey. A lot of my assistant coaches and dads on my team are good family men, they are reliable and they're part of the game for the right reasons. I'm very lucky that I have those guys in my life."
Anthony Hollyoak had great courage and an inner strength that defied his pain and suffering during his lengthy battle with cancer.
Thank you for all your years of service to the Don Mills Flyers and to the athletes you mentored and helped grow into the outstanding young men they are today. RIP Anthony.
