Rusty Reimer couldn’t sound happier. The Nakusp Minor Hockey coach and president saw the Nakusp Falcon Midget House team take the area banner this year in Trail.
“We had such a good year, we finished second in the league play just where we wanted to be,” Reimer told the Arrow Lakes News. “The team started the year at home with a win, a lose and a tie. Then went on a 9-0 win run as well as winning the Kaslo tournament.”
The coach recognized there were some lower points as well: “We stumbled a little in February in our own tournament and came in third,” he said, “as well as the last two games in league play with only two ties.”
During the playoffs, the Nakusp Midgets faced the last-played team, Boundary, and barely won.
“It was like a wake up call,” Reimer said. And the team heard it, dominating the next game against Nelson 2, and winning 6-3.
“We knew going into the last game on Saturday that we were already in the semi-finals and the team went into the with that game with that mentality,” the coach revealed. “We lost 4-3 in a hard fought battle.”
Sunday morning’s semi-final game between Nakusp and Trail 2 brought with it the realization to the seven players that were in their final year of minor hockey that if they didn’t win, it could be their last.
“They came out playing like there was no tomorrow and we won 6-2,” Reimer told the Arrow Lakes News. “The Trail host team that we beat was far from sportsmanlike taking many ‘bad’ penalties.”
Nakusp met Grandforks in the final, who they had lost to in their last round robin game, but this time they came out flying.
“We never trailed, stumbled or faltered,” said a proud Reimer, “the whole team was focused on the banner.” Nakusp won 5-2 “with class,” and the Nakusp Minor Hockey president said it was the best team h’e ever coached.
“What a great ending to my minor hockey career!” he said. “I’m a happy coach and president.”
