Greater Trail bids adieu to 2019 but not before celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Trail Memorial Centre, a new BCHL franchise, an upcoming documentary and more success on the ice and in the snow.
This is the final instalment of Trail Sports Year in Review, October to December.
Happy New Year and best in 2020.
October:
1 – Trail native and former Kootenay Wild Cat, Olivia Buckley, was named to Team BC and plays in the 2019 National Women’s U18 Hockey Championship in Winkler, Man.
5 – Ten teams open the 2019 Kootenay Savings Super League curling season.
9 – BCHL announces that the Cranbrook Bucks expansion team will join the league for the 2020-21 season.
16 – Greater Trail Minor Hockey is at odds with BC Hockey about icing a Bantam AA Zone team.
18 – Trail resident proposes name change of Butler Park to Jason Bay Field at Butler Park, in honour of former Major League Baseball player.
22 – Trail Smoke Eaters set most wins in a row record with nine in a 4-1 win over Nanaimo, and a consecutive point streak record, 10.
25 – The Trail Smoke Eaters and the Murphy Family Foundation team up and launch a ‘Smokies in Our Schools’ promotion. Local schools market and sell discounted Smoke Eaters tickets for a chance to win a $5,000 grand prize.
30 – Smoke Eaters Kent Johnson was named BCHL Player of the Week for the second time in two months, tallying nine points in three games.
31 – Former Pride Gym fighter, Frances (Pettit) Watthanaya, proudly manages the first Thai fighter in UFC history to victory at UFC Fight Night 162 in Singapore.
November:
5 – Trail Smoke Eaters defenceman Diarmad DiMurro commits to the Rochester Institute of Technology for the 2020-21 season.
7 – Filmmakers come to Trail to interview residents and compile footage for an upcoming documentary on the ’39 and ’61 Trail Smoke Eaters entitled, Trophy Town.
– The Greater Trail Bantams skate to gold at the Kelowna Minor Hockey Tier 2 Tournament.
12 – Trail Smoke Eaters forward Kent Johnson earns BCHL Player of the Month for his 26 points in 11 games.
13 – J. L. Crowe runner Jaxon Kuchar wins bronze at the 2019 BC High School Cross Country Championship in Abbotsford.
19 – Softball Canada awards former Greater Trail umpire Dave Brewer the Rose Hodgson Volunteer of the Year on Saturday at the Softball Canada Hall of Fame and Awards Banquet in Richmond.
20 – A dozen Greater Trail sports organizations benefit from BC Community Gaming Grants.
– Hockey Canada announces sweeping name changes to Pee Wee, Bantam and Midget categories.
28 – Greater Trail’s Amanda Landry captures gold and bronze at the International Drug Free Athletics competition in Vancouver on Sunday.
29 – Trail Smoke Eater players Kent Johnson, Philippe Lapointe Powell Connor, and Owen Ozar are selected to play for Team Canada West at the World Jr. A Challenge in Dawson Creek.
December:
3 – Trail Memorial Centre celebrates 70th year in operation at Trail Smoke Eaters game.
4 – The Beaver Valley Nitehawks pick up forward John Usselman from the Kimberley Dynamiters prior to Dec. 1 roster deadline.
– Trail Smoke Eaters sign Carson Briere, son of former NHLer Daniel Briere, and trade for d-man Kyle Pow in exchange for Colby Elmer.
– Smoke Eaters forward Philippe Lapointe is named BCHL Player of the Week for scoring seven points in two games.
6 – The Trail Bantam Smoke Eaters win gold at the Greater Trail Minor Hockey Association Bantam Rep Tournament at the Cominco Arena.
– Beaver Valley Skating Club brings home 13 medals from the West Kootenay Invitational Skate competition in Nelson.
12 – Black Jack skier Jasmine Drolet qualifies for the Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, Swtiz. after winning gold in the 7.5 km interval start at the Haywood NorAm YOG Trials in Canmore.
– The Greater Trail Midget Rep team captures gold at the Castlegar Minor Hockey Midget Rep Tournament.
18 – Greater Trail ski-cross racer Sage Stefani is named to Team Canada and will compete at the Youth Olympic Winter Games (YOG) in Lausanne, Switz. Jan. 9-22.
18 – Beaver Valley Skating Club dazzles crowd at its 2019 Christmas ice show called Winter Adventures on Ice.
