The Valley Ball Hockey Association continues to see its numbers skyrocket.
When Wayne Van Geel first got involved in 2000, there were 300 registered players. But in the past 11 years, those numbers have quadrupled, with 1,200 players suiting up this past season.
“We try to get as many kids as possible to play,” he said, adding they hope not to have to cap the numbers anytime soon.
The main challenge they face is securing enough floor time to accommodate all the teams.
The VBHA, which has teams from tyke (five and six-year-olds) all the way to junior (7 to 19), plays its games in rinks across Langley, Aldergrove and Abbotsford.
This is Van Geel’s second year as the association’s president and he doesn’t see the numbers decreasing anytime soon.
“The ball hockey industry is getting bigger and bigger,” Van Geel said, citing the sport’s relative affordability.
All players really need are helmets, sticks, protective cups, gloves, knee and shin pads.
And this year, for the first time, the association is hosting the provincial championships.
The tournament began on Monday with round robin play and continues through the weekend.
The bronze and gold medal games will all be played on Sunday at the George Preston Recreation Centre, except for a few of the bronze medal matches, which have been moved to Aldergrove Arena.
The first medal game begins at 9 a.m. and they run all day, with the final contest slated to start at 9 p.m.
For more information and results, visit www.vbha.com.
