Jason Wild walks through the doors of Memorial Arena holding two equipment-filled hockey bags, with summer in the rearview mirror and winter that much closer.
It香蕉视频直播檚 the start of a fresh season at the Penticton Minor Hockey Association and a new beginning for more than 475 local youth.
Wild, the association香蕉视频直播檚 current coaching coordinator, opened those historic doors every September the same way he did 25 years ago.
He was a defenceman for the BCHL香蕉视频直播檚 Penticton Panthers, playing alongside future NHLer Duncan Keith.
Before that, he laced his skates inside the Memorial Arena dressing rooms and threw on one of his hometown PHMA sweaters.
香蕉视频直播淲e tell today香蕉视频直播檚 kids about our glory days at the rink,香蕉视频直播� Wild said with a laugh, referring to his longtime friend and current association president Kiel Gatenby, another former Panther and PMHA alumni.
Gatenby and Wild represent two of the more than 250 volunteers in Penticton today who help keep the city香蕉视频直播檚 minor hockey association functional. Half of those people, they said, grew up in the South Okanagan and once played for the association themselves.
It香蕉视频直播檚 not uncommon to see a grandfather coaching his grandson, as a result.
香蕉视频直播淚t takes a whole group of people to make this happen,香蕉视频直播� Gatenby added. 香蕉视频直播淔rom coaches and safety people to coordinators and managers香蕉视频直播here香蕉视频直播檚 a lot that goes into this and it香蕉视频直播檚 quite intensive.香蕉视频直播�
A new minor hockey season in Penticton doesn香蕉视频直播檛 start without all that work. There are meetings to attend and ice time to schedule, even through the summer months.
Every minute of it is worth it, they said. And it doesn香蕉视频直播檛 always happen in the name of loving hockey.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e trying to give these kids a positive environment to not only develop as players but as people, too,香蕉视频直播� Wild said. 香蕉视频直播淕iving the kids an avenue to be on the team and create bonds, friendships, and memories.
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 what it香蕉视频直播檚 all about.香蕉视频直播�
Gatenby and Wild lived through it as local players themselves. They recalled their own PMHA coaches in the 1990s helping shape who they are as people today.
香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 a long history of hockey and community here,香蕉视频直播� Wild said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 those things that benefit you for the rest of your life.香蕉视频直播�
Enrollment for the 2023-24 PHMA season is up from the year before. Around 475 players suit up across 26 teams.
Gatenby and Wild said the association is continuing to thrive. After all, a Penticton without minor hockey is almost unthinkable, they agreed.
The female division, though, is where PHMA has seen 香蕉视频直播渕assive香蕉视频直播� growth over the last five years.
As of January 2024, there are around 10 female teams. In 2015, there were only four.
香蕉视频直播淎 lot of people are doing a lot of work on the female side,香蕉视频直播� Gatenby said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 becoming more popular and it香蕉视频直播檚 growing the game even more in Penticton.香蕉视频直播�
