Photo by Mihcael Okoniewski / Special to the Observer Dispatch: Springfield Falcons' goalie Robert Esche warms up with his team Feb. 12, 2000.

Esche’s success is sweet and certainly is deserved
Originally published Nov. 13, 2003

From STAFF REPORTS
Observer-Dispatch

When it comes to brotherly love, Philadelphia hasn’t got anything on Central New York — at least when it comes to Robert Esche.

Esche, a Whitesboro native, is off to a terrific start this year with the National Hockey League’s Philadelphia Flyers. He was the Flyers’ backup goalie last season, but now rotates as the team’s starter in the net with fellow goalie Jeff Hackett.

And Esche is hot. Last week, he was selected as the NHL Defensive Player of the Week. At the time, in his last four starts — all victories — he had given up only four goals.

As a result, Esche is getting a lot of ink in the Philadelphia press. Over the weekend, Philadelphia Daily News sportswriter Edward Moran wrote: “Esche’s play has got to be wreaking havoc on (Flyers’ coach Ken) Hitchcock’s plans to play both Esche and Jeff Hackett equally.”

It’s well deserved for a simple guy who despite all the success and fame remains steadfast in support of his hometown. Not only does Esche live here in the off-season — he built a new home in Westmoreland — but this past summer he started a charity to provide financial assistance to Mohawk Valley children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.

During an inaugural fund-raising weekend in June, Esche and some of his NHL buddies raised $51,000 with a softball game, dinner and golf outing for the “Save of the Day Foundation.” Esche created the charity after raising funds a year earlier for the Make-A-Wish program, but most of that money — $35,000 — went to Syracuse. Esche wanted the money to stay here.

Dennis Elsenbeck, vice president of the Save of the Day Foundation, probably said it best.

“This is where you have a kid who has a close relationship to the community,” Elsenbeck said. “It’s a rare gift. When you’re a professional you have a chance to live where you want. Rob’s made it to the highest level of hockey — regardless of how far he goes this will still be his home.”

And we’re darn happy to have him.

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