Three local teams will be joined by clubs from Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland as Oceanside Minor Hockey hosts its Bantam Rec Winter Break hockey tournament at Oceanside Place Arena.
Play began today at 8 a.m., and games will continue Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. and Thursday beginning at 7 a.m. Puck drops on the bronze-medal final Thursday at 3:15 p.m., followed by the gold-medal showdown at 5:30 p.m.
All games will be played in Howie Meeker Arena, as Winter Wonderland continues through Dec. 31 in Kraatz Arena.
The three Oceanside bantam house teams will square off against teams from Campbell River, Victoria, Saanich, Nanaimo, North Delta, Juan de Fuca and Cowichan Valley in the 10-team tourney. That is the maximum number of teams in the field due to having just one rink available.
The event, a fundraiser for the hockey association, is open to the public and includes a prize raffle table, 50/50 draws and other highlights.
— NEWS Staff
Soccer academy starts Jan. 9
The Vancouver Whitecaps Upper Island Soccer Prospects Academy will begin its winter session for select players from U8 to U18 beginning Jan. 9 at the Arbutus Meadows Indoor Arena, and the nine-week session will wrap up with a playoff tournament March 15.
All sessions are coached by Whitecaps FC Island Academy Centre head coach Kevin Lindo and associate head coach Larry Stefanek, utilizing an official Whitecaps FC training curriculum.
Designed to supplement players’ club training, the academy will be open to a limited number of boys and girls players by invitation.
Sessions for pre-prospects (U8-U12, born 2009-2005) will be held Mondays from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Jan. 9 to Mar. 13. Sessions for prospects (U13-U18, born 2005-2000) take place Mondays from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
The playoffs will be held for both groups March 15, with the cost included in the registration fee.
Registraton is $275 per player, with all new players requiring a WFC training kit and track suit at additional cost. To inquire about registering or for more info, contact Kevin Lindo at klindo@whitecapsfc.com or Larry Stefanek at lstefanek@whitecapsfc.com, or visit www.whitecapsfc.com.
—NEWS Staff and WFC Academy submission
