Each year Hockey NL holds a celebration of minor hockey in the province.
For a week in January, Minor Hockey Week acknowledges and applauds the work done by volunteers and athletes in the sport.
This year’s celebrations kick off in Clarenville with a huge atom division tournament scheduled for Jan. 10-12 at the Eastlink Events Centre.
The tournament came close to being put on hold.
Tragedy befell the Clarenville atom A team on Christmas Day when Joshua Wilcox died in a tragic accident. There was some talk about possibly postponing the tournament; however, the decision to carry on was made.
“It is what Joshua would have wanted,” said Julia Drodge, Clarenville minor hockey's atom director.
The tournament is a massive undertaking of scheduling and ice time manipulations.
The weekend will see 12 teams — including three from Clarenville — compete in three tournaments in A, B, and C divisions. In all, there will be 220 athletes involved.
Organizers, including Drodge, didn’t want any repetition in teams and worked hard to ensure as many associations from across the province were represented.
Pucks will be handed out stamped with this year’s slogan, ‘You never lose, you either win or learn’.
“Development and not necessary the concept of winning should be at the forefront of all programs”, said Arnold Kelly. Hockey NL's minor hockey chairperson in a release Friday.
The slogan is aimed at pushing minor hockey associations towards providing athletes with a safe and inclusive environment, along with a space for learning. In addition to a cake cutting and the adoption of a proclamation, Hockey NL will also be hosting sessions on bullying awareness and prevention for all players in the tournament.
The hope is this event will help be a positive one for the association and its members in light of the tragedy it has faced this year.
Drodge’s son was a teammate of Joshua on the same Clarenville minor hockey atom A team.
It won’t be an easy tournament for team members as it will be their second weekend together since Joshua died.
The weekend will be about more than hockey for them. There is a hope Joshua’s parents will be available to drop the puck for the opening
faceoff and there are plans to have a picture of Joshua displayed prominently in the stadium.
The team itself will be placing commemorative stickers on their helmets and they have ordered new name tags for their jerseys.
They want to wear Wilcox on the back of their jerseys for the remainder of the season as a way to honour their teammate.
He will be remembered and his presence will felt during the weekend.
“We remember his love for hockey,” said Drodge.
