The Kootenay Warriors Spring Hockey Program is breaking the doors down, extending the hockey season for Cranbrook and Kimberley youth aged eight to 10 looking to fight right until the end with summer quickly approaching.
The spring hockey program, in its first year, hit the ice April 10 to 12 with the 2004-born Warriors Weekend Tournament and continues this weekend with the 2006 Warriors Weekend Tournament at Western Financial Place.
“This past weekend, the 10-year-old Challenge Games featured teams from the West Kootenay, Calgary and Montana,” said program organizer Corey Spring in a press release. “The final game went to a seven-round shootout and featured some highly-competitive, skilled hockey.”
The Southern Alberta Battle, Okanagan All-Stars and West Kootenay Avalanche will all travel to Cranbrook for the Kootenay Warriors Spring Hockey Challenge beginning Friday.
Tournament festivities get underway Friday at 5 p.m. as the local Kootenay Warriors take on the Okanagan All-Stars.
In addition to the 2006-aged tournament, the Warriors will also host a variety of exhibition games for 2004s and 2005s as the Southern Alberta Battle brings its 2004 and 2005 squads.
All games over the weekend will be played at Western Financial Place.
“We would love to see the community come out and support our local players,” Spring said. “These games feature the best of the best and will be the highest level of hockey at this age group that we’ve seen here in years.”
The Kootenay Warriors mission is to nurture individual and team hockey skill development, enhance character and life skills and provide exceptional coaching and structure.
The 2006 Warriors Weekend Tournament wraps up Sunday, April 19, with the first-place game at 2:30 p.m.
2006 Warriors Tournament Schedule
Friday, April 175 p.m. - Kootenay Warriors vs. Okanagan All-Stars
Saturday, April 1810 a.m. - Kootenay Warriors vs. West Kootenay Avalanche11:30 a.m. - Southern Alberta Battle vs. Okanangan All-Stars4 p.m. - West Kootenay Avalanche vs. Okanagan All-Stars5:30 p.m. - Kootenay Warriors vs. Southern Alberta Battle
Sunday, April 198:30 a.m. - West Kootenay Avalanche vs. Southern Alberta Battle1 p.m. - Third place vs. Fourth place2:30 p.m. - First place vs. Second place
2004 and 2005 Warriors exhibition games
Friday, April 176:30 p.m. - 2005 Kootenay Warriors vs. 2005 Southern Alberta Battle8 p.m. - 2004 Kootenay Warriors vs. 2005 Southern Alberta Battle
Saturday, April 187 a.m. - 2005 Kootenay Warriors vs. 2005 Southern Alberta Battle8:30 a.m. - 2004 Kootenay Warriors vs. 2004 Southern Alberta Battle1 p.m. - 2005 Kootenay Warriors vs. 2005 Southern Alberta Battle2:30 p.m. - 2004 Kootenay Warriors vs. 2004 Southern Alberta Battle