The Parksville Panters September Hockey Classic will be taking place September 15-17 and will feature 26 teams from across North America at Oceanside Place.
Competing through four age categories (60, 65, 70, 75+), this will be the 15th time the classic takes place. Starting way back in 1993, with Peter Kucey and Ed Taylor holding a tournament on behalf of the Parksville Golden Oldies Sports Associaition (PGOSA), the tournament was successful in it’s early years.
After a hiatus, the classic was re-introduced in 2004 with the opening of Oceanside Place in Parksville. At that time, along with the September Classic, the January Junket was also introduced by the Panter organization. Senior hockey was on the rise, with both tournaments still running to this day.
“We sent out invites all over the world,” Al Grier, tournament organizer from 2004 to 2008, said. “There weren’t too many organizations that had senior hockey teams with players over 60, so it was mostly North American teams that came out. These tournaments have been a boost to the local economy over the years, bringing in close to a million dollars during their time here.”
The September Classic kicks off on Tuesday, September 15, and will run through to Thursday, September 17.
There will be a beer garden, lots of prizes and a massive group dinner at Cuckoos restaurant in Coombs. Admission is free throughout the tournament, so come down to Oceanside Place to check out some of the action.
