Hockey, the great Canadian past-time, is enjoyed by many youth across the country and for young people in Alameda the love for hockey is evident.
With an atom team and a bantam team, the town happily supports its youth. The Alameda Minor Hockey Association hosted a Minor Hockey Day on Sunday, Nov. 23, with many people attending.
President of the Alameda Minor Hockey Association, Rob Klassen, explained, “This is just a day for the kids and the community to come out and enjoy a sport that's been around forever.”
Alameda's atom team hosted Kipling in a close battle, which saw the host team lose by one point. The final score being nine to eight.
The second game between the bantam team and Milestone came after a series of skills tests, which saw competitors attempt the hardest shot, accuracy, and skating abilities.
This game saw intense action with the Alameda Aces able to clinch victory over Milestone with a score of 9 to 6.
Having the two teams is important to many because it means their youth are given the opportunity to play at home. Klassen said: “It means a lot to the community and it means our kids don't have to go to the next town over to play. It's a big deal for the town and the rink.”
“We only have the two teams but they are well supported and together there are 29 kids involved.”
All of this, Klassen, said wouldn't be possible without such great community support.
“All of the work is done by volunteers, they paint the lines, work in the kitchen, and put the ice in,” Klassen stated. “The upkeep of the rink is done by volunteers of the community and we wouldn't be able to operate without them.”
The season began for Alameda on Nov. 1st when the league they are involved in started. The kids get between one and three games a week depending on rink availability and scheduling.
