The Semiahmoo Minor Ball Hockey League is ready for its second season, and participation numbers – both players and volunteers – are up from where they left off last year.
League president and founder Rick Duchesne said last week that 150 players – ranging from youngest (peanut division) to oldest (junior) – had already been registered for the 2012 season. Last year, 112 players were registered.
“The numbers this year, so far, are great, just awesome,” Duchesne said.
Volunteer coaches and executive members have also multiplied, he added, which means he doesn’t have to wear as many hats throughout the season.
“The response after the first year was just fantastic – couldn’t have asked for anything more,” he said. “For our first year, it couldn’t have gone any better.”
Registration numbers could have even been higher, Duchesne said, had it not been for the teacher’s job action. Ball hockey sessions – aimed at drumming up interest in the sport – were planned, but cancelled at a number of schools, as was a flyer campaign.
“Yeah, it hurt a little bit, for sure,” he said.
But nevertheless, he’s enthused about the coming season, which begins April 5 and runs until the end of June at White Rock’s Centennial Arena.
This year, Semiahmoo teams will play each other – there are two teams in each division – as well as an interlocking schedule with other associations, like South Delta, Cloverdale and Abbotsford.
In addition, Duchesne was working on a potential tournament at season’s end with teams from Alberta.
Registration is still ongoing, and anyone interested in signing up or learning more about the league, can visit www.semiahmooballhockey.com
