Hockey fans in the South Cariboo can mark their calendars – the 100 Mile House Wranglers will make their home ice regular season debut Oct. 2.
The home-opener is set for 7 p.m. at the South Cariboo Rec Centre against the Chase Heat, and follows a lengthy absence of Kootenay International Junior Hockey League in the community. The Wranglers’ 2019/2020 season was cut short due to COVID-19 and the team sat out the 2020/2021 season due to safety concerns surrounding the pandemic.
Wranglers president Greg Aiken said the excitement is starting to build as the season approaches, and having the schedule is another step in the right direction.
“It’s a bit of a new schedule, since we will be starting a month late, and it’s always a bit of a challenge to get everyone to agree on game nights,” Aiken said.
To prepare for the coming season, the Wranglers are on the search for billet families to host players; anyone interested in helping out can contact the team’s billet co-ordinator, Tammy Mikkelson at 250-706-3344.
In the coming weeks, the Wranglers will host training camps around the province in the hopes of recruiting players to fill their roster for the upcoming season. The team will be in Smithers Aug. 13 and 14, in Quesnel Aug. 21 and 22 and in Merritt Sept. 3, 4 and 5.
Camps are open for players born between 2001 and 2006.
Exhibition games are also on the horizon for the Wranglers in September with dates to be announced.
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