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The boys are back in town
By Stephanie Stevens
Hockey camp, golf tournaments and billet homes.
Those three topics mark the kick off for the 2025/26 season for the local Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KILHL) team.
The Columbia Valley Rockies held their hockey camp last weekend, and today (Friday Sept. 5) is the Junior A club’s second largest fundraiser, a golf tournament at Copper Point Golf Club.
The tournament was all but sold out as of press time, with only a few sponsorships still up for grabs. The day will include a shot gun start, 50/50 draw, silent auction, mulligan sales, prizes for best dressed and a swag bag for each golfer.
Players stationed at every hole offers participants a chance to meet the lads off ice.
While the funds raised at things like the golf tourney are the lifeblood of the team, billet homes are a close second.
Billet coordinator Leslie Loyst said they are short at least three billet homes at this point, with potentially a few more required as the team’s roster fills out.
“Having a home away from home during the season is really vital to the players,” said Loyst. “The players are busy 6 days a week between practice, training, home and away games and many of them either have jobs or are still in school, so they need that solid, welcoming home base.”
There is a stipend to cover food and the guidelines for the billet homes are well laid out, as are the rules and responsibilities for the players.
If you are interested in more information you can go to rockieshockey.ca/billet-homes or reach out to Loyst at 289-696-3264 or [email protected].
The September exhibition games will start the day after the golf tournament, Saturday Sept. 6 with the boys headed to Kimberley to face off with the Dynamiters, hosting the Nitros the next day at home in the Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena Sunday, Sept. 7 at 1 p.m.
The final two exhibition games will be with the Fernie Ghostriders with a home game Sept. 12 and in Fernie Sept. 13.
Regular season play starts Friday, Sept. 16, home in the Eddie against the Golden Rockets.
Stephanie Stevens photos
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