LAC LA BICHE & PLAMONDON - Organizers of both minor hockey provincial championships hosted in Lac La Biche and Plamondon over the same March 25 weekend say it was a memorable experience.
Many players coming to the region — eight teams playing in Plamondon for the U15 Tier 1 no-body-contact championships, and eight in the U13 Tier 3 Provincials held in Lac La Biche — also enjoyed their visit ... some two-minutes at a time.
"Visiting teams were very impressed with our tournament. We got comments like, 'We were given the red carpet treatment' or "You guys were amazing hosts,'" said Kim Gauthier, a member of the Plamondon event's organizing committee. "One of the kiddos from the Springbank team even told us, 'It was the most amazing penalty box experience' that he has ever had."
Fans at the Plamondon weekend filled the community arena. There weren't too many empty seats for most games as the small community of about 400 people almost doubled in size with the visiting teams.
"It was packed for the weekend, and it was great — that smalltown hockey feel was there. What better place to come together than at hockey? It was so great to see the entire town buzzing with hockey excitement/ The fans were so exciting and loud it was fantastic," said Gauthier.
Teams at both events were treated to local hospitality, local culture and recreation.
"Some of the teams were able to get out and see the Northern Lights over the lake, and one team even did an ice fishing day as their team bonding excursion," said Gauthier, adding that all teams were presented with locally-made gifts, including food baskets and hand-crafted mini-hockey sticks that were hand-painted with features representing the cultures of the area. "We had mini sticks handcrafted by a local woodsmith and painted by local artists to show the Russian, Metis and French heritages, and we gave each team a welcome basket which included homemade Russian candy, a Russian tea-ring and Russian bread."
Gauthier says many visitors said they'd be back.
"Some individuals are very excited to come back and check out this amazing region in the summer. For many teams this is as far north as they have ever been in the province," said Plamondon, pleased that the hockey event helped to showcase the entire region. "We have a fascinating community and we were certainly able to showcase it at its very best."
In Lac La Biche, organizers of the U13 event had similar responses from visiting teams.
"Many said they would love to come back in the summer and see all that there is do and experience," Okrainec said, adding that even the officiating crews said it was one of the best tournaments they had worked.
Great experience
Although neither host team finished with the championship banner — the Irvine Bulldogs won the U13 title and Springbank Rockies took the U15 top spot — the young skaters enjoyed the experience.
"They all had a memorable experience and fabulous time," said Okrainec.
Adding to that memorable time were a few surprises, she said. "Nice ones," she added with a laugh.
NHL and AJHL guests
Thanks to some strings pulled by the visiting Dewberry team, former Edmonton Oiler Marty McSorley was a surprise guest at the banquet supper. Lac La Biche-born former NHL player Rene Bourque also provided a video-welcome to the visiting teams at the banquet. Both players joined Bonnyville's Jason Grinevitch, a five-year player with the Alberta Junior Hockey League's Bonnyville Pontiacs and Drayton Valley Thunder, who also played four seasons for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks in the NCAA before spending a season playing for the Gherdeinia Hockey Club in the Italian Hockey League.
Both organizers thanked their community committees, sponsors, recreation facility staff and localized volunteer crews of more than 50 people for helping to keep the busy weekend manageable.
"It was a big undertaking and a lot of work, but we had an incredible host committee team that worked hard to ensure everything was such a success," said Okrainec.
Gauthier offered similar praises for all involved.
"We are so thankful to Plamondon, all the volunteers we have, our sponsors, our fans and most importantly our team. We have the best group of boys imaginable and I think it all stems down from their amazing families. This couldn't have happened without each and everyone of them."
