Greater Trail Minor Hockey Association has been celebrating Minor Hockey Day in Trail since 1957 and is expecting a full rink again on Saturday, Jan.18, 2025.
Trail minor hockey director Charlie McLean introduced Minor Hockey Week to the Silver City that year, with the slogan “Don’t send your boy to play hockey -Take him.”
The following year, the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association liked the idea so much, they made it an annual event.
Many things have changed since then, but Minor Hockey Day is celebrated across Canada in one form or another in almost every city, town, and village.
Every year, Trail salutes its minor hockey teams, players, coaches, officials, and parents with a full day of fun on and off the ice, starting with the pancake breakfast at 8 a.m. to noon courtesy of the Local 480.
This year's activities include the U11 Jamboree from 8 to 9:30 a.m., the U13 Rep and U15 house fun game from 9:45 to 11 a.m., a U18 Jamboree goes from 11:15 to 12:30, and the U7and U9 game from 12:45 to 1:30 p.m. - all on Cominco Arena ice.
In the Kid's Rink, a U11 3-on-3 goes from 8:30 to 10 a.m., followed by a U15 3-on-3 from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m., and the U13 Wildcats 3-on-3 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The fun is capped off by a couple of GTMHA league games with the Trail U15 Smokies playing the U15 Nelson Leafs at 1:45 followed by the U18 Wildcats hosting Kamloops at 3:30 p.m.
