For the first time in its storied 54-year history, the Burnaby Minor Hockey Association has been recognized as “Association of the Year” by the Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association, the governing body of forty-four Lower Mainland youth hockey organizations.

The “Fred Page Memorial Trophy”, named after the long-time amateur hockey volunteer, is awarded annually to the Metro Vancouver Minor Hockey Association adjudged to have made an “outstanding contribution to its community by providing a sound minor hockey program”.  The award was presented at the recent Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association Annual General Meeting, where it was noted that the BMHA is seeing its registration numbers increasing and that it offers a comprehensive youth hockey program for players ages five to twenty.  With fifty-two teams and over eight hundred players hitting the ice during the just concluded 2017/18 season, the BMHA provides an avenue for beginners, with their “Junior Bulldogs” program, recreational players and representative teams.  Their “Wildcats” program is the “girls only” arm of the Association and is also seeing their numbers grow.

The Burnaby Minor Hockey Association has a number of unique  initiatives that recognizes volunteers, on-ice officials and long-time players.  Each year they see a number of “international transfer” players wanting to participate in Canada’s Official Winter Sport, from traditional and non-traditional countries such as China, Japan, Lebanon, Iran, Brazil, Ireland, Vietnam, Afghanistan, the USA and others.  All are welcome to the BMHA.

In addition to this award, outgoing BMHA President and long-time volunteer Darryl Mah was honoured with a “Meritorious Service Award” for his “outstanding contribution to amateur hockey in the Lower Mainland for a period of at least 5 years” and administrator Larry Hayes was presented with the “President’s Service Award” for making “a significant contribution to amateur hockey in the Lower Mainland during the preceding year”.

The “Fred Page Memorial Trophy – Minor Hockey Association of the Year” has been presented by the Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association since the 1977/78 season.  No other minor hockey organization in Burnaby has been recognized with this award in past years.

Posted in General