Perkins said there was a great energy at the rink all weekend, and there were great volunteers and partnering organizations helping them out along the way. As she explained, any hockey tournament is a big undertaking in a small town and provincials are more so. With the traditional assistance from the Boissevain community, they were able to pull off a first class event.
“We had player families and community members volunteer in various capacities including working the gate, raffle tables, score keeping, working the clock, supervising the team lounge at the curling club, and more,” she said. “With 10 teams and 19 games in three days plus special festivities and off-ice activities, there’s a lot of logistics involved and volunteer manpower involved.”
An event of this caliber also has a great impact on the larger community. Whenever provincials bring players, coaches and families from distances long and short, it means a lot for businesses. In this case, teams came from as far away as the Interlake and Beausejour. As Perkins stated, having a boost in a small town, particularly in the dead of winter, has many benefits. Restaurants, stores, motels all benefit from the dollars coming in, and not just in the short term.
“Events like this bring a lot of first-time visitors to our community that would not necessarily travel to town otherwise. So beyond the immediate economic benefit, an event like this creates lasting impressions— including welcoming hospitality, strong volunteer spirit, and vibrant hockey culture. These encourage visitors to return for future tournaments, seasonal recreation, and repeat travel. In short, hosting events like this are an investment in long-term tourism growth with several community benefits.”
It was noticed by the business community. Ken Pringle of Pringle’s Men’s Wear said it made for a great weekend.
“February is generally a quieter time of the year but the provincials definitely made a real good difference and certainly puts significant money into the town through hotels, restaurants, businesses and of course the rink itself,” Pringle stated. “Was a great weekend overall and the committee did a great job.”
Kara Paradis, the Boissevain U13 coach and president of Minor Hockey was also pleased with the weekend.
“Boissevain was honoured to host this year’s provincials,” Paradis said. “We’re incredibly proud of our players and the dedication they’ve shown. Our town’s strong hockey culture is something we cherish, and it was a pleasure for our team to share that spirit with the rest of the province.”
The host Boissevain U13 squad had a great tournament. They beat OMHA/SEMHA 5-0 in their opener and then shut out the Beausejour Blades 7-0 on February 27. They came out ahead of Macdonald 1-0 in overtime on March 1, setting them up for the gold medal game against another local squad, the Southwest Stars.
The Stars took out the Red River Wild 7-1 on the 27th, and shut out the Interlake Ice the next day. They made it to the final game with a blowout of the Reston Rockets 8-0 on March 1. They then came out on top with a 6-0 gold medal win against the host Border Kings. Organizers said the kids showed heart and dedication and added it was great to see the community come out to support them.
As well as a sliver medal, Boissevain Minor Hockey has the proceeds from the event. There are many ways for the money to help, from ice equipment to jerseys to help with the rink.
Overall, the weekend was more than memorable.
“Every day was filled with moments that remind us why we love this game and this community so much,” Perkins stated.
by PAUL RAYNER, Recorder staff