Simley High School hockey team helps chemotherapy patients

The boys hockey team at Simley High School has had a record-setting season, but three boys on that team have been doing more than playing hockey this season. 

Kyle Roche, Jakob Myers and James Royce have been playing hockey together since they first picked up the sport. All three have also had a family member fight cancer. 

“I lost my father in 2011,” said Kyle Roche. “He had a two-year battle with stage four bladder cancer.” 

Jakob Myers lost his grandmother to cancer and James Royce’s mother is recovering from ovarian and brain cancer. 

“There’s support there,” said Myers. 

“We all have mutual respect for each other’s situation,” Roche said. “We’ve all been through what James is going through now, so we’re trying to help him out and get him through a tough time.”

On the ice, Simley has had a great season. The hockey team set a school record with 17 wins. But the three teens didn’t stop their hard work when they stepped off the ice. They held a cancer fundraiser at the rink and raised more than $2,000 in one day. 

With the money the boys raised, they put together gift baskets to help comfort chemotherapy patients. On Friday, the boys delivered six gift baskets to the Southdale Cancer Clinic at the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Edina where Jakob Myers’ mother has worked for 20 years. 

“They realize there’s more to life than just hockey,” said Myers’ mother. 

The boys delivered the baskets to help the patients get through an extremely tough time. 

“It may make a bad day just a little bit better just by giving somebody something like this—it makes you feel good,” Royce said. “They’re going through a lot.” 

The rest of the money the boys raised is being donated to the cancer clinic where Royce’s mom received treatment. 

Back on the ice, the boys’ hockey team has one more game before sectionals begin.