Letter to the Editor

To the great city of Cranbrook and fans of the Kootenay ICE

It takes a lot for a guy like me to get worked up about something, much less write a letter to a paper about it. But I think the time has come.

For a long time now, the talk about Cranbrook losing the Kootenay ICE has become far too commonplace for comfort, as though people have given up and just eventually expect it to happen.  With the Nanaimo rink referendum coming up, it has come down to the wire, and the possibility of losing our WHL hockey team has finally cut way too close for comfort.

I would like to write to you from a perspective you might not have heard from yet – a player’s.  Granted, it’s been over a decade since I last played a game for the Kootenay ICE, but back in those days it was an honour and a privilege to play for Cranbrook.

I made the team as a walk-on at age 17 because Jeff Chynoweth took a chance on me, and I wouldn’t be where I am today in my career without him. Many players can say the same. Back in those days, this town couldn’t get enough of the hockey our team played. Stepping onto the ice in front of a few thousand cheering fans every night inspired all of us to be the best players we could be, whether we won or lost that night. We succeeded because your attendance supported our motivation and our attitudes. At every level in this game, it really is the fans who drive the players, and none of us professional athletes would have a career if it weren’t for those people who continue to support us for better or worse.

The players love this town, too. Many come back to visit old billets, vacation here, even move here. For a few of us, Cranbrook has played a bigger role in our lives than we ever thought it would. I met my wife here, we bought a house here, we spend our off-seasons here and want to raise our family here. And I’m not the only player who has. But, without the support I received when I played here, it would likely be a different story.

Complaints about not attending games because the ICE “aren’t winning” are pretty off-base if the players are denied a motivating fan environment.  A lost game is a disappointment (trust me, I know), but a number on a scoresheet doesn’t need to take away the social or entertainment value of cheering through a tough game. Don’t send the message the players deserve to be abandoned because they are struggling. Those players need YOU. They need support from every family, every age group in our town. I understand that ticket prices are a major factor, but even for lower prices to succeed, the people of Cranbrook need to be on board first and foremost.

I would like to challenge the entire town to attend at least ONE game before the end of the season. Go and support your team and let the players know you support them. Remember how fun it can be to watch the good old hockey game with your friends. Teach your kids it’s important to support your local team, even if it means you can only afford to go once in a while. Remember that those players give back to this town, too, and deserve the best support they can to succeed.

In return, I myself will do whatever I can for the ICE to stay local. As time goes on, I also look forward to giving back everything this town has given to me over the years. All I ask is that the good people of Cranbrook find it within themselves to give the current players the same support they gave to us back when players like Colin Sinclair, Nigel Dawes, Igor Agorunov, Jarrett Stoll and myself were on the team. We never forget where we got our start, and neither will the players out there today.

If we can keep the Kootenay ICE in Cranbrook, we all win. Without it, our town stands way more to lose than just the team. Supporting the ICE means supporting Cranbrook, and that’s good for everyone. Don’t just sit back and let them go. Get your friends and family together and get out to a game.

Adam Cracknell, Dallas Stars,

Kootenay Ice Alumni, 2002-2006

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