All is well on the Ponoka Minor Hockey Association front with the top challenge remaining as the attraction of more kids to the sport, as described Julie Feragen, the vice-president of Ponoka Minor Hockey.
“We would like to see more kids growing into, coming into minor hockey for sure,“ said Feragen, speaking in an interview at the bleachers at the Ponoka Cultural and Recreation Complex.
A hockey mom herself, she was handing out Ponoka Stampeders jerseys to other hockey moms who were at the rink to support their kids in the Peewee A Stampeders’ game against their visiting opponents from Red Deer.
“We offer one year free hockey after registration with Ponoka Minor Hockey and we hope this (incentive) will bring more kids to us.”
With some $18,000 under their belt raised at this year’s fundraiser event, a night with dueling pianists at the Stagecoach Saloon at the Stampede Grounds, Feragen says they are doing just fine as a minor hockey association.
“Our fundraisers do very well every year, they have been very successful three years in-a row.”
“We are working with the town and county, we are getting our names out there and hoping that they are going to help us build our numbers. With new councils on both sides, we are hoping that we can work as a group.”
Feragen also expressed satisfaction with the level of corporate sponsorships and said they had no immediate plans to change the jerseys for the teams.
But what she is most happy with and thankful for is the support they get from the community in terms of coaching.
“We have some really good coaches this year,“ Feragen said.
“Some of them are not even parents, they don’t have children in minor hockey. Despite that, they have stepped up and they have been coaching. Our Bantam coach and assistant coach, they don’t have any children in minor hockey. And same thing with the Midget A team, the coach doesn’t have any children.”
Feragen hopes that Ponoka Minor Hockey teams have a good chance of advancing in the provincial tournaments this year.
With both Peewee A and Peewee B having been accepted to the provincial playdowns in addition to both Midget teams alongside the Bantam and Lacoka Bantam girls’ team competing, chances for medals are there for Ponoka kids to grab.