McSweeney’s WHL Community Collective: Kamloops Blazers
Kamloops, B.C. – Forget Everett, there’s another team of Silvertips taking on the Blazers in a nail-biting competition.
Kamloops held its annual match against the Special Olympics B.C. Kamloops Silvertips floor hockey team in November.
It’s a partnership going on two decades strong, with the rivalry and excitement as strong as ever.
“It is an event that is eagerly anticipated by the Special O team,” Kamloops Special Olympics Fundraising Coordinator Michael Maveety said. “Not just because they are all fans of the Blazers, but also because they know that floor hockey is their game. They are confident that they have the advantage because they are used to playing in a gym with a straight stick and a felt puck. Every year they anticipate that without any ice to give the Blazers an edge, the Silvertips just might be victorious!”
Indeed, the Silvertips pulled out the victory in a 9-8 overtime thriller.
“Obviously they’ve got a good squad there,” Blazers blueliner Harrison Brunicke said. “I’m looking forward to taking it back to them next year.
It’s a lot of fun, I think, for both sides. As a group, we got to kind of be role models and just have lots of lots of fun with them.”
Kamloops also hosted the 2023 Special Olympics B.C. Winter Games, welcoming roughly 500 athletes competing in eight disciplines to Canada’s Tournament Capital.
Beyond floor hockey, many of the local athletes also take part in soccer, bocce, softball, golf, swimming, five-pin bowling, curling, basketball and rhythmic gymnastics.
The connection carries over to the ice, as the Blazers often see their Silvertips competitors cheering in the crowd and saying hello on the concourse at the Sandman Centre.
“They’re super nice people, very welcoming so it’s always nice to see those familiar faces again,” Brunicke added.
The Western Hockey League strives to promote and foster a welcoming environment in communities close to our 22 clubs in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Every team has the creative freedom to allow their players and staff to work with the organizations and groups that they are most passionate about. The end goal is to create and maintain long-lasting relationships and ongoing partnerships within their community.
Through the McSweeney’s WHL Community Collective, we aim to highlight these outstanding initiatives done by each club throughout the season.