Hockey pickup game celebrates life of Burlington-Central student

A lifelong, avid hockey player, Jerry Martinez would have loved to see the day his name was across the back of a fan's jersey.

On Saturday, West Dundee's Leafs Ice Centre was filled with fans decked out in Martinez jerseys - but Jerry wasn't there to witness it.

The 16-year-old Burlington Central defenseman was killed in a Sept. 24 car crash near St. Charles.

Still, his presence was felt heavily Saturday as hockey enthusiasts of all ages gathered to celebrate Jerry's life, and raise money for a scholarship fund in his name.

Dozens of people from Fox Valley hockey community bought tickets to Saturday's game of "rat hockey" - a variety of rough-and-tumble pickup hockey Jerry used to play every Friday night.

"I figured the coolest thing would be to have rat hockey in his name," said Nate Scherer, a sophomore at Elgin Community College who played with Jerry at Burlington Central. "He loved hockey."

The teams drew from players male and female, ages 10 to 60 - including Jerry's father, who shared his son's a love of hockey.

"It is absolutely wonderful," said Jerry's mother, Mary, as she watched her husband on the ice. "My husband and Jerry shared hockey together. That was their time together."

The Martinez family hopes to raise enough money to help send a local hockey player to college.

Among the competitors Saturday were many high school athletes who played with or against Jerry and skated in his memory.

"He was a real team player," said Nick Esposito, 16, a sophomore at St. Charles North High School. "A lot of his devotion went to his team."

"He was a really nice kid," Esposito added. "I wish I could have known him longer."

Scherer hopes to make "Jerry's Ice" an annual fundraiser and expand the event to two rinks in the future.

"I am just surprised at how many people came," Scherer said. Jerry would "probably think it was the coolest thing," he added.