Checkers Kurt Seher Officially Retires
November 4, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
(Charlotte, NC - Tuesday, November 4, 2003) - The ten-year career of Checkers defenseman Kurt Seher has come to a close. The veteran defenseman today officially announced his retirement. Seher's Checkers' career spanned ten seasons, from the inaugural 1993-94 campaign to last season's 2002-03 campaign. Seher spent his entire ECHL career with the Checkers, the only player in league history to play ten seasons with one team and the longest tenured professional athlete in Charlotte. Seher holds numerous team records accumulated during his ten-season stint in Charlotte. He also helped lead the Checkers to their only ECHL Championship in 1995-96. In a special pre-game ceremony, the Checkers will retire Seher's # 4 jersey just before the opening faceoff of Friday night's home game at Cricket Arena against the Greensboro Generals.
"After last season I started thinking about retirement," remarked Seher. "My wife Amy and I talked about it and it seemed it was time. Ten years is a long time. I also wanted to go out on my terms and not because of an injury. I was also offered an opportunity with Bealer Wholesale as a sales representative and it seemed the time was right to retire. I've been so busy with my new job that it's just now sinking in. While I'll miss the game, I will look forward to spending more time with my wife Amy and my daughter Macey.
Checkers Head Coach Don MacAdam, one of three coaches Seher played under, commented on Kurt's retirement. " Very few guys can play ten seasons in our league. It's exceptional for a player to play that long in the same city. For Kurt to be a part of our community for that period of time is very special."
Checkers Owner / CEO Carl Scheer, who was the club's President & General Manager when Seher first arrived in the Queen City in 1993, also offered his thoughts on Kurt's retirement announcement. "The measure of a man's success is longevity and consistency, and Kurt displayed both with a great deal of success. Kurt brought credit to himself and our organization by his contributions over the years. When the hockey environment kept constantly changing, Kurt always stayed the same."
Seher also took the time to thank many people who supported him during his ten-year career here in Charlotte, especially the fans. "I want to thank Felix Sabates and Carl Scheer who were the owners of the team for a good deal of my career here. They are great owners and even better people. To my coaches, John Marks, Shawn Wheeler and Don MacAdam, I want to thank them for the opportunity they gave me to play for them. And to the fans of Charlotte, I want to thank them for their unwavering support. Without their tremendous support, there would be no hockey in Charlotte. Most importantly, I want to thank my wife Amy, who has stood by me and been a tremendous encouragement. I want to thank her for her sacrifice because I'm sure at times during the hectic seasons, I was a little diffi! cult to live with."
New Checkers President Jeff Longo, who did not have the opportunity to see Seher play, commented on his retirement and special ceremony planned for this Friday night. "It is only right and proper that we honor and recognize a man who has played ten seasons for the Checkers and in the ECHL with one team, our team," remarked Longo. "It also speaks well of the city of Charlotte that Kurt and many other players who have come here over the years have decided to make their permanent homes here. I know the hockey fans of Charlotte won't want to miss Friday's night's ceremony before the game when we'll retire Kurt's # 4 jersey for good."
Seher was an original member of the Checkers, who joined the East Coast Hockey League in 1993. Prior to his retirement announcement, Seher held the unique distinction of having the longest tenure of any Charlotte professional athlete after completing his tenth season in the Queen City in 2002-03. Seher came to Charlotte for the Checkers' inaugural season in 1993 after being selected by the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins in the eighth round of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. Kurt enjoyed his finest campaigns as a professional the past two seasons. The 30 year old Red Deer, Alberta native played his final pro season netting nine goals and 33 assists for 42 points and 56 penalty minutes last season. His nine goals were a career third-best, his 33 assists a career second-best and his 42 points were also a career second-best. Only Allan Egeland and Takahito! Suzuki at 72 games played more games than Kurt's 71 last season. Seher finished his career in the Checkers top ten in the following categories:
CATEGORY # RANKING
GAMES PLAYED 593 1ST
POINTS SCORED 276 3RD
GOALS SCORED 73 6TH
ASSISTS 203 3RD
PENALTY MINUTES 527 TIED FOR 1ST
SHOTS 1303 1ST
POWER PLAY GOALS 39 2ND
GAME-WINNING GOALS 10 6TH
NEXT CHECKERS HOME GAME: Friday, November 7 @ 7:30 p.m. at Cricket Arena vs. Greensboro.
CHECKERS TICKETS: All regular season individual game tickets are on sale, and may be purchased at the Cricket Arena Box Office, the Charlotte Coliseum Box Office, and all Ticketmaster locations. Tickets may also be purchased by phone by using a credit card and calling Ticketmaster at (704) 922-6500, and through the Internet at www.ticketmaster.com.
Individual game tickets for the 2003-04 season are priced at $7.00 for balcony seats, $10.00 for end mezzanine seats, $12.00 for side mezzanine seats, $15.00 for circle seats, and $20.00 for box seats.
Season Tickets, mini plans and group tickets remain on sale through the Checkers office. Further information can be obtained by calling the Checkers office at (704) 342-4423.
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