In just over a month, hundreds of youth hockey players from around the province will converge at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex for the Fifth Annual Central B.C. Aboriginal Youth Hockey Tournament.
The tournament, scheduled for March 16-18, will see upwards of 20 teams and close to 400 players from cities and towns across the province compete in initiation, atom, peewee, bantam and midget divisions.
Trophies will be awarded to first-, second- and third-place teams and awards will be given out for best goalie in each division, along with MVP medals and Aboriginal Youth Hockey Tournament hoodies for first-place teams.
On the hoodies will be a logo, selected by the sports association committee, the tournament organizers.
Sheila Kelalst Booth, president of the tournament’s association, has put out a call for official tournament logo submissions to youth in and around Williams Lake.
The best logo, she said, will be chosen and embroidered onto the tournament jackets, hoodies and signage for this year’s tournament. This year’s winner will also receive a jacket with their logo on it.
“It’s just a fun thing we do every year,” she said.
“We’ve had some really good ones in the past.”
Those interested in submitting a logo must include: Fifth Annual Central B.C. Aboriginal Youth Hockey Tournament (the exact wording); an eagle, a raven and a bear; be either colour or black and white (can use a computer); must be your own design (no copyright media); and must be between the ages of five and 21.
The logo will also become the property of the tournament.
The deadline for logo submissions is Sunday, Feb. 12 at 6 p.m. Logo submissions can be delivered to 1019 Schmidt Rd. or can be delivered by contacting Kelalst Booth at 250-267-1007 or at sheilabooth_2011@shaw.ca.
The tournament also features an elaborate opening ceremonies which includes players, coaches, community officials and First Nations leaders who will all take the ice to enjoy drumming, dancing, singing and performances.
The committee is also asking anyone interested in volunteering during the tournament weekend to contact them.
Volunteer positions include: coaches, assistant coaches, timekeeping, score keeping, raffle tables and organization, 50/50 sales, refereeing security and opening ceremony.
Anyone interested in volunteering can also contact Kelalst Booth.
For more on the tournament see a future Tribune.