Operating a hockey club in the Sask. AAA Midget Hoackey League (SMAAAHL) can be a costly proposition. The Yorkton Harvest recently teamed up with Terry Ortynski's Royal Ford to generate much needed revenues in a unique fashion. Royal Ford provided the new vehicles while the Harvest invited the motoring public to come to the Gallagher Centre Thursday to test drive their choice(s) of Ford vehicle(s), learn about the quality and features of current model Ford cars, trucks and SUVs and to a brief questionnaire. Royal Ford staff were on hand to answer questions, provide assistance and, where applicable, handle potential sales.
An added bonus for test drivers was a free burger compliments of Harvest Meats, notes Wayne Henley, Yorkton Harvest Hockey Club General Manager.
Henley reports the Harvest spring camp was a success, identifying about 80 prospective players who will be invited to return August 12 to 14 for the fall camp. The fall camp will pare the number down to a pre-season team which will identify the 20 players who will wear a Harvest jersey for the next season.
The new bench boss for the upcoming season will be Jeff Odgers, former NHLer who currently farms at Spy Hill, Sask., Henley says.
Assistant coaches will likely be Gary Lamb and possibly Eddy Zawatsky.
Henley suggests the Harvest will likely lose three veterans who will probably move up to the Western Hockey League (WHL).
The club is reasonably sound financially, Henley suggests. "I don't anticipate any great changes in fees, but we'll know better when we get into our hotel prices and our bus prices," he adds.
It typically costs about $150,000 to put the Harvest on the ice for a season, Henley estimates. He thanks all the people who came out to support the club and test drive a new Ford from Terry Ortynski's Royal Ford.
One of the many people who test drove a Ford, Thursday was Lance Counlter from Roblin, Man.Coulter learned of the promotion when he visited the dealership. While he doesn't currently drive one, Coulter comments, "I am liking the new Fords a lot better than they were."
