LEGACY ON ICE HOCKEY MANITOBA MARKS 100 YEARS By Jennifer McFee
I t’s a season of celebration for Hockey Manitoba as it scores an impressive goal — reaching 100 years as an organization. To commemorate a century of sport, the 100th-anniversary festivities launched in August with a celebrity golf tournament, followed by a minor hockey summit in September. “At that conference and seminar, we evaluated the state of the game and what we need to do to improve our organization — and hockey in general,” explains Kyle Prystupa, development and communications manager. “We looked at what we need to do for the next 100 years to leave a legacy.” This legacy includes contributions from female hockey players, who will be in the spotlight during a three-day event called Project 100. From Dec. 12 - 14, female players can participate in activities such as the Scotiabank Girls
HockeyFest, which provides training and skills development for girls ages seven to 12. Other highlights include a bantam AAA tournament called the MTS Showcase Challenge, as well as clinics and seminars for coaches and officials. Female athletes are also the focus of the Made in Manitoba game, which will see the University of Manitoba’s Bisons women’s team face off against past high-performance players from across the province. Another must-see match will be the all-star game for the Manitoba Women’s Junior Hockey League. “Girls’ participation has really increased in the last quarter of our 100 years. There’s been involvement for the past 50 or 60 years, but not to the extent that it is today. In the last 15 years, it’s gotten really big because female hockey has grown so much during that time,” Prystupa says.
14 MBiz | November 2014
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