2013 Alberta Cup to be held this weekend

Times Contributor 

 

After months of anticipation and preparation, the 2013 Alberta Cup is going to be held this weekend, April 25-28. This is the first time that the event will be held in the Town of Strathmore.

“We’re excited,” said Strathmore Minor Hockey Association (SMHA) outgoing President Wayne Hansen. “After eight months of preparation, from the time of the bid to now, it is great to see the (Alberta Cup) now here. We’re really happy to see and showcase the top bantam players in Alberta here in Strathmore.”

There are eight teams participating in the event, each representing a different zone in the province, and all games are to be held at the Strathmore Family Centre. Representatives from Hockey Alberta arrived on Tuesday, while players arrived on Wednesday. The competition starts on April 25 with six games, and there will be six more on Friday, with four games each on Saturday and Sunday.

Hansen said that the preparations for the event went really well.  

“We did have some struggles meeting operational things like hotels because we’re not like the big cities, which have a larger number of rooms available,” he said. “However, the hotels here have really stepped up, and we appreciate that. Otherwise, we’re pretty much good to go, and we’re ready for the event.”

Hansen hopes that everyone at the event has a good time.  

“We hope that the kids work hard, and that we have a fair competition where everyone has fun and enjoys themselves,” he said. “We’d also love for the town to come out to the games because of the support we’ve had for minor hockey here.”

There are a couple of subtle improvements being done by the SMHA compared to previous hosts of the event. One of those things is to have a hospitality room for the parents that will allow them to eat while watching the games on the television screens in the room. Another thing that will be done is that a caterer has been arranged for the players to allow for the local businesses to have room for the tourists that are coming into town for the event.

The SMHA is still accepting volunteers for the event, up to the last minute. If anyone would like to volunteer, Hansen said they can approach the SMHA for more information.