News/Events

A SPECIAL KICK OFF FOR MINOR HOCKEY WEEK IN NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR HAS BEEN SET

December 30, 2009

Grand Falls-Windsor, NL - Minor Hockey Week, a provincial celebration of the game of minor hockey, will take place from January 9th to 16th, 2010.

The official kick-off and proclamation will take place in Corner Brook hosted by the Corner Brook Minor Hockey Association on Saturday, January 9, 2010 at the Pepsi Centre in Corner Brook. Local organizers are planning a Bantam tournament for western area teams with players (13) and (14) years of age. Minor Hockey officials and dignitaries will be on hand to celebrate minor hockey week. The year 2010 marks the 75th Anniversary of the provincial hockey association and the minor hockey week kickoff will coincide with a kick off to a yearlong celebration.

The host association President, Scott Burden, is thrilled to be hosting such an event. “The Corner Brook Minor Hockey Association is proud to be hosting the kick off to Minor Hockey Week this year. We are also looking forward to celebrating Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador’s 75th Anniversary with the entire province. We are planning some fun activities for the players during the week and hope that people will drop into the Pepsi Centre on January 9, 2010 to watch some hockey and welcome our special guests”, said Burden.

The Minor Hockey Week slogan this season is THE OUTCOME OF THE PLAYER IS STILL MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE OUTCOME OF THE GAME. Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador Minor Council Chairperson, Jack Lee said “With seventy five years behind us, we still view the game as one of fun, excitement and enjoyment and we continue to develop players at all levels of the game.” Lee also thanked the Corner Brook Minor Hockey Association for organizing the special day of festivities on January 9, 2010.

The Executive Director for Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador, Craig Tulk, said it is quite fitting to have the kick off in Corner Brook. “Hockey has been a mainstay in Corner Brook since the beginning, and the fact that the first Herder Memorial Championship team, seventy five years ago in March 1935, was the Corner Brook Royals and that the provincial Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Corner Brook, makes this kickoff to our 75th birthday celebration even more moving”, stated Tulk.

Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador has a committee planning special events during the calendar year with even an official meeting being held in the same location on the same date the association was formed back on December 19, 1935. Murray Roberts, Committee Chair, announced the honorary chairmen for the anniversary celebration. “Don Johnson, past chairman of both the provincial and national hockey association and George Faulkner, star hockey player in the fifties and sixties, both have been named honorary Co-Chairs for our celebration and we are quite proud and ecstatic to recognize these two individuals during a year we honor our past, embrace the present and prepare our future”, remarked Roberts. Further details on upcoming events will be released throughout the year.

Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador expects that many invitational tournaments and jamborees during the week long celebrations. The first major event will be the Female Midget Provincial Qualifier taking place in Stephenville from January 8-10, 2010. The tournament will feature the best female midget players (15) to (17) years of age in the province who are competing to earn the right to represent the province in the regional championships being held in Gander, NL from March 18-21, 2010.

Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador is the governing body of amateur hockey in the province and promotes, supervises and regulates competition in all recognized categories. The association currently has over 10,000 registered players, coaches, managers and officials.

Did you know?

• When Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador (formerly known as Newfoundland Amateur Hockey Association) joined Hockey Canada (formerly known as the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association) in May 1966, they only had about 120 registered players

.•That former Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador president, Claude Anstey of Corner Brook, was on the Board of Directors of Hockey Canada for 16 continuous years.

•George Faulkner of Bishop Falls scored the most goals for Canada in the 1966 World Hockey Championships.

For more information

Craig Tulk
Executive Director
Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador
P.O. Box 176
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL
A2A 2J4
(709) 489-5512 (O)
(709) 486-0442 (C)
(709) 489-2273 (F)
ctulk@hockeynl.ca
www.hockeynl.ca

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