Youngsters enjoy outdoor hockey tourney

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This article was published 19/02/2019 (2544 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Young hockey players and their parents enjoyed a good old-fashion outdoor hockey tournament on Saturday.

Despite the frigid temperatures, everyone was all smiles as the Atom A2 division hosted the McAtom Winter Classic for four of the teams in the league at Westridge Community Centre.

“I haven’t been able to wipe the smile off my face since we showed up this morning,” said Ryan Shields who, along with Chad Wallin, organized the tournament.

“It is an absolute perfect atmosphere outside,” he said. “The sun is shining, the kids are having a lot of fun, and it just brings back a lot of memories for me growing up on a outdoor rink.

“To be able to see the kids with that opportunity, I really, truly believe it’s going to be something they all remember for the rest of their lives.”

About 50 Brandon kids participated in the tournament. There were no winners or losers — it was all just for fun.

“It’s just about for the love of the game, really,” Shields said.

“We had an idea at the beginning of the season to get our teams outside, and between the two of us it went from our two teams to including as many teams as we could.”

Wheat Kings announcer Chris Falko introduced the players as they hit the ice.

Loud music blared across the rink, parents scraped the ice between periods and hockey players waited on hay bales to get back into the game.

McDonalds provided Happy Meals for the kids and hot coffee for the parents and donated tickets to Saturday night’s Wheat Kings game.

“We also did a food drive with the kids and the teams, where all the non-perishable items that are brought in today will be donated to the Samaritan House, as well,” Wallin said. “So we’re trying to give a little bit back to the community, as well. Show the kids it’s a good thing to give back.”

Meanwhile, the canteen profits from donations were given to Ronald McDonald House.

Ross Sheard, who supervises McDonald’s restaurants in Brandon, Neepawa and Portage la Prairie, said he was having a great time.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “You just see the looks on their faces when they’re coming out, when they were getting introduced.”

And with parents scraping off the ice, it just had the old-school feeling, Sheard said.

Munching on a Happy Meal in the canteen, Liam Oliver, 9, said he’d much rather be playing on an indoor ice rink.

“It’s too cold,” he said, adding his dream is to be a hockey star — either a goalie or on defence.

Hockey mom Christine McCorrister was there with her nine-year-old son, Mac.

“It’s a great idea,” she said of the outdoor tournament. “It’s tons of fun for the kids.”

Even the cold didn’t bother her.

“We all, I think, dressed pretty warm,” McCorrister said, adding one of the moms brought hand and foot warmers for everyone.

“We all got our hot chocolate and coffee. There’s coffee from McDonald’s here, so it’s great,” she said. “We can stay warm.”

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