The Newtown-New Fairfield hockey team held Senior Night and honored Collin George Whitmore, who passed away in 2016, at Danbury Ice Arena on February 11.

The co-op team held its ceremony for its seven seniors: Andrew Stango, Cameron Longhi, Carter Bisson, and captains Jack Meade, Jackson Molison, Colby Cheneski, and Evan Kliczewski. They also honored their senior manager Bella Ruggiero and senior Director of Player Relations Stephen Mammola.

Collin, who would have been a senior this year, was known as an avid hockey fan and player throughout his childhood. He passed away from a rare condition called arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Since then, the Newtown hockey program, and now the Rebelhawks co-op program, have honored Whitmore with games, memorial jerseys, and fundraisers for continued supporting research for AVM.

“I, along with the rest of the Rebelhawks community, am proud that we celebrate and honor his life. We often encourage the Rebelhawks players to never take for granted the opportunity they have, and to play each game like it’s their last.” Mammola said.

The Whitmore family was invited out onto the ice during the ceremony and received a Rebelhawks jersey with Collin’s number, seven, signed by the team.

“His sisters and friends do their best to also take that number in memory of Collin and the best part is that when players wear his number they make a great play, shoot a basket, hit a home-run and attest their successes to wearing Collin’s number,” Collin’s mother, Kim Whitmore, said.

Along with the away jersey of each of the seniors, a Team Collin warm-up jersey was hung up along the glass at the entrance of the arena.

“We honored Collin in this way like it was his senior night just as much as it was ours even though he couldn’t be out there with us,” Longhi said. “I enjoyed the short amount of time I got to play with him as young kids along with the lasting memories we made together.”

The Whitmore family also wrote a speech for Meade and Kliczewski to read before they presented the signed jersey to the Whitmore family.

“The hardest thing about putting Collin into words was trying to share all of his amazing qualities. When I wrote it I wanted people to know who he was, how much he loved hockey, and also share a personal side in telling others how much of an impact he made in his short time here.” Whitmore said.

The Rebelhawks blanked their opponent, Fox Lane of Bedford, N.Y., 6-0. Junior captain Ryan Schmidt led the team in goals, earning a hat trick with three, and Meade, Stango, and sophomore Noah Kirshner all contributed to the win, each with a goal. Cheneski had five assists, Stango two, and Meade, Molison, Grayson Pimentel, and Aiden Lund all had one assist.

Win or lose, being a part of the program has been special for Mammola.

“Above all else, this program has given me a sense of pride. I’ve been with over 20 coaches and over 50 players. I’ve been here for a 12-8 season and a 2-18 season,” Mammola said. “I feel proud to work with this group and help try to bring a State Championship back to Newtown-New Fairfield.”

Throughout the game there were several reminders of the remembrance of Collin. Whether it was through their traditional Team Collin warm-up jerseys or the accents of green tape on their hockey sticks, the Rebelhawks honored all of the players of the class of 2026 that night. The jerseys include a green logo of a heart with hockey sticks, surrounded by wings representing a green butterfly, the symbol for AVM.

“It meant so much to us that he was remembered,” Whitmore said. “Senior night is such a special night for athletes and knowing that the team wanted to remember him on this night meant the world to us. It meant even more to us when we saw the team wearing Team Collin jerseys.”

Ava Lombardo is a Newtown High School senior intern with The Newtown Bee. She is committed to Roger Williams University, in Bristol, R.I., for volleyball, and will study Marine Biology & Environmental Science.