CARLYLE - Minor Hockey Day in Canada is a cherished annual event that brings communities across Canada together to celebrate the sport that unites all people who love hockey, and this was no different in Carlyle.
This day brings young athletes, dedicated coaches, sportive parents and grandparents and the countless volunteers together to enjoy a day filled with hockey.
In Carlyle on January 18, 11 teams came to play off against other teams in recognition of this day, and a donation to the Carlyle Food Bank allowed a person a day’s admission.
It started with the U7 Cougars Mclean playing against Kipling, and at the same time Cougars Kirkness versing Cougars Rasmussen. There were so many goals scored that they could not keep track of them all, but they were exciting games for the fans who could be heard loud and clearly cheering these young teams on.
Next up from 10-11 a.m. was the U9 Cougars Curries verses the U9 Redvers Drew, and the Cougars Geiger against the Redvers Kourtlin. These games again had the crowd up and cheering the entire time.
The excitement continued with U11 Cougar Lemieux verses U11 Cougar Sauter. These two teams played hard, but it was Blue Lemieux taking the win.
When the U18’s came on the ice, it was Finley Sauter and Hadley Blaise that carried the Wildcats Battle Flag on the ice. This is in connection to keeping female hockey alive.
Scott Kirkness has a daughter that plays hockey and the second season she played for the U7 team, she was the only girl out of 26 players.
Kirkness said that his daughter struggled but the Wildcat women’s team invited her out, gave her autographs and warmed up with them. This was a game changer for the young player.
The anticipation began to build when Balcarres Barracudas took on the U18 Carlyle Wildcats. Balcarres has been undefeated this year and it was a tough game for the Wildcats, losing 12-0, but they gave it their all.
The U13 and U15 Cougars each took on a Wawota Team. Both games were filled with excitement, but in both games Wawota came out ahead with the win.
At 8 p.m. the U18 Cougars came on the ice to play against Weyburn. Many spectators stayed all day and watched all the games, giving their support to all the players, and this included the final game.
The game kept the crowd alive and into the game each time the Cougar’s scored. The Cougars defeated Weyburn with an 8-4 score.
As minor hockey day ended, it served as a reminder of hockey’s enduring place in Canadian culture.
Minor Hockey Day in Canada is a celebration of everything that makes the game great. It is not just about hockey, it is about community, connection, and the pure joy of the game and this was the case in Carlyle.
