Sports | DrumhellerMail - Page #116
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Minor Hockey ponders new Hockey Canada rules

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    Drumheller Minor Hockey is still looking at how best to implement new rules from Hockey Canada.
    Hockey Canada is adopting cross-ice games for five and six-year-old players. This is said to allow young players more touches, more puck battles, more passing and more shooting. This was discussed at  Drumheller Minor Hockey’s Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, April 11. Minor Hockey President Lyle Cawiezel says they will have two seasons to make the transition.
    “The first year, they allow teams or associations to transition to either go full in, and divide novice teams into major or minor teams,” said Cawiezel.
    He says Hockey Alberta has a couple of meetings coming up to work out the changes.  There has to be a decision reached league-wide, so they will all be on the same page. They also need the infrastructure, such as dividers for play.
    “There are a quite a few things to work out, but we hope to have some answers by fall to see if it will be a full transition, or if we can wait a year to get the bugs out and jump in next year. Nothing is mandatory until next year,” said Cawiezel.
He sees it as a positive, developmentally.
    “This is making the ice rink smaller, so it is a more confined game making it more apt for those ages. Developmentally it is supposed to help aid and develop these players,” he said.
It was a great season for Drumheller Minor Hockey. The Association successfully hosted the Bantam C Provincial Tournament, and the Yavis Atom Raptors won provincials. This year, seven out of eight teams made the playoffs and three went to the banner finals.
    “Overall it was a great success,” he said.
    There were four new board members selected at the AGM. Joining the board are Bern Mackey, Stephanie Holman, Lisa Jacques and Darryl Hern. Cawiezel explains they have made some changes to make way for two-year terms.
    “We switched over to create more continuity, so whatever happens we aren’t losing our whole board in one year,” said Cawiezel. “So this year, half of the new members were put into a one year term, and the other half will serve two. At next year’s AGM we will put them into two-year terms.”


Soccer house league looking for players

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    Soccer teams are getting ready to get back on the field and are looking forward to a strong season.
    Mark Olbrich of Drumheller Minor Soccer said this year there have been a few changes, including the end of the Adult Coed Rec League. Despite this, young people are eager to start playing.
    “We have two teams that are playing U19 for the kids and one team that is playing U13. So these are our travelling teams,” he said.
    He says province-wide, they have made the switch from even aged teams to odd. By switching from U18 to U19, it allows players in high school to complete the season even if they are 18.
    The travel teams are set because the rosters had to be finalized at the beginning of April. Olbrich says there are still spaces for players in the house league teams.
    “Numbers are down, but that is mostly with the house leagues, but we still have time to sign people up,” he said.  “For house leagues, we will never close the doors.”
    He says they are also looking for adults and parents to get involved in the Associations. The more help they have, the better the season goes.
    The Soccer Association is also making progress on its new clubhouse. Last season the building was raised and this year, they are working on the interior. They hope to have it completed in the near future.
    The other wild card for the season is, of course, the weather. Slowly the snow has disappeared from the field.
    “I am hoping by the end of this month we should have the fields ready to go,” he said.
    For more information on Drumheller Minor Soccer or to register contact Olbrich at 403-820-8269 or check out Drumheller Minor Soccer’s Facebook page.

Badlands Rugby joins with Red Deer club to field men’s team

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    The Badlands Rugby Football Club (RFC) is joining forces with the Red Deer Titans to compete this season.
    The plan is to enter a joint men’s team in the Calgary Rugby Unions thirds league.
 “It is so both teams can submit a thirds (recreational division) squad and everyone gets a chance to play,” said Badlands RFC organizer April Harrison. “That allows us to bring rugby to the valley, so there will be games hosted in Drumheller.”
    The Badlands RFC began training last spring and joined with different clubs to get on the field. Harrison says it appears there is good interest in the valley, and also coming from Hanna.
    “Last year was great to get started and get some local guys who have never played before to come out for a practice and have a taste for a sport. When they wanted a game, we partnered with a team out of Bow Valley. So if the guys were available for games, they could join that squad,” she explains. “The best way to learn is to play and for our guys that was their first time playing rugby.”
    This week, Thursday, April 19, weather permitting, they are planning their first practice of the  season to gauge exactly what the interest is like.
    “We are hoping over the next couple of weeks to get people together, have people come and check it out and register,” she said.
    So far the plans are to field a men’s team and Harrison says they are grateful to the Red Deer squad for bringing their members along.
    She says there is strong interest from female players.
    “It depends on how many people show up and register. It is not desperately too late to enter a women’s team,” she said. “If not, if there are women who just want to come out and practice for the first year, they can. If there is the odd lady that actually wants to play games, the other teams are more than happy to allow people to join for games. The Red Deer Titans ladies are very excited if any of our ladies would like to join them.”
    Practice is slated for 7 p.m. this Thursday, April 19 at the DVSS field. Rugby is open to players over the age of 16. For more information and to keep up to date, go to the Badlands RFC Facebook page.


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