Jason Wild walks through the doors of Memorial Arena holding two equipment-filled hockey bags, with summer in the rearview mirror and winter that much closer.
It害羞草研究所檚 the start of a fresh season at the Penticton Minor Hockey Association and a new beginning for more than 475 local youth.
Wild, the association害羞草研究所檚 current coaching coordinator, opened those historic doors every September the same way he did 25 years ago.
He was a defenceman for the BCHL害羞草研究所檚 Penticton Panthers, playing alongside future NHLer Duncan Keith.
Before that, he laced his skates inside the Memorial Arena dressing rooms and threw on one of his hometown PHMA sweaters.
害羞草研究所淲e tell today害羞草研究所檚 kids about our glory days at the rink,害羞草研究所� Wild said with a laugh, referring to his longtime friend and current association president Kiel Gatenby, another former Panther and PMHA alumni.
Gatenby and Wild represent two of the more than 250 volunteers in Penticton today who help keep the city害羞草研究所檚 minor hockey association functional. Half of those people, they said, grew up in the South Okanagan and once played for the association themselves.
It害羞草研究所檚 not uncommon to see a grandfather coaching his grandson, as a result.
害羞草研究所淚t takes a whole group of people to make this happen,害羞草研究所� Gatenby added. 害羞草研究所淔rom coaches and safety people to coordinators and managers害羞草研究所here害羞草研究所檚 a lot that goes into this and it害羞草研究所檚 quite intensive.害羞草研究所�
A new minor hockey season in Penticton doesn害羞草研究所檛 start without all that work. There are meetings to attend and ice time to schedule, even through the summer months.
Every minute of it is worth it, they said. And it doesn害羞草研究所檛 always happen in the name of loving hockey.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e trying to give these kids a positive environment to not only develop as players but as people, too,害羞草研究所� Wild said. 害羞草研究所淕iving the kids an avenue to be on the team and create bonds, friendships, and memories.
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 what it害羞草研究所檚 all about.害羞草研究所�
Gatenby and Wild lived through it as local players themselves. They recalled their own PMHA coaches in the 1990s helping shape who they are as people today.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a long history of hockey and community here,害羞草研究所� Wild said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 those things that benefit you for the rest of your life.害羞草研究所�
Enrollment for the 2023-24 PHMA season is up from the year before. Around 475 players suit up across 26 teams.
Gatenby and Wild said the association is continuing to thrive. After all, a Penticton without minor hockey is almost unthinkable, they agreed.
The female division, though, is where PHMA has seen 害羞草研究所渕assive害羞草研究所� growth over the last five years.
As of January 2024, there are around 10 female teams. In 2015, there were only four.
害羞草研究所淎 lot of people are doing a lot of work on the female side,害羞草研究所� Gatenby said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 becoming more popular and it害羞草研究所檚 growing the game even more in Penticton.害羞草研究所�
