Athletes from across the province are coming to Squamish for a big hockey tournament.
The Atom A Game On Squamish Adventure Tournament will be taking place in town from Nov. 8 to 11 at Brennan Park Recreation Centre. The games will start at 10:15 a.m. that Friday.
The gold medal games will be on Remembrance Day.
“Show up and watch and support, because how cute are little humans playing hockey with huge smiles?” said organizer Lisa Turpin.
“I just love watching the smiles and how happy these kids are.”
There may be plenty of that to go around, because this tournament will be bringing 14 teams from across the province to test their skills. The athletes will be aged nine to 10.
Some examples of teams include Port Alberni Valley, Chilliwack, Mission, North Vancouver, Comox Valley and Alberni Valley, among others.
According to Turpin, the enthusiasm for the event was substantial. Registrations picked up fast.
“It filled up by Sept. 12,” she said. “These kids want to play.”
For Turpin, getting involved in the sport makes great memories, but also has a practical side.
“When my son was playing hockey, the tournaments were always the big thing,” she said.
“You ask any employer now that my son’s 20 and applying for jobs and such, they want those kids’ who’ve worked within a team environment there’s something about being part of a team.”
One thing that Turpin wants to emphasize for this tournament is good behaviour.
To that end, she’s bringing in the Team Spirit award, which goes to the group that shows the best conduct — both on and off the ice.
“So I want to stress that Team conduct is my top priority,” she wrote in a letter to participants.
“That includes parents, spectators and coaches as well as the players. I would like to hear manners, see holding doors for people, clean change rooms and happy hotels, restaurants and local attractions. My expectation as the tournament director is that we leave a lasting positive impression for your team as well as your team for our community.”
