Last year the Campbell River Girls Atom Hurricanes had more than just their hockey season on their minds, but also the sister of one of their teammates who was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Unfortunately, this brave, beautiful little six (6) year old angel lost her fight in the spring.

Every year the team gives back to the community in some way and this year they decided they wanted to honour this little girl. The girls spoke at the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) Campbell River Storm game and asked fans to donate money to Canuck Place in this precious souls' name. The girls went around and collected money in their helmets and in one (1) short intermission the girls raised $1,400!!

There are only 11 players on the Campbell River Hurricanes, but they will always have a twelfth player, a little angel, watching over them and cheering them on.

At just 16 years of age, Olivia Davis has been through more than most of us could imagine in a lifetime. In 2013, Olivia was diagnosed with cancer and spent two (2) and half years undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

It was her love of hockey that kept her focused throughout her treatment and after nine (9) months into chemotherapy, Olivia returned to the ice. She was still undergoing IV treatment once a month and taking daily chemotherapy at home.

Today, Olivia is still on the ice playing the game she loves. She moved from her home in Qualicum Beach to Prince George to join the Female Midget AAA League (FMAAA) Northern Capitals, for her second year Midget.

The Northern Capitals are heading to Vancouver this weekend for the FMAAA Showcase weekend where they will play three (3) league games against the Thompson-Okanagan Lakers. Currently, the Capitals are sitting in second place in the league at the half way point of the season. To date, Olivia has had four (4) wins, two (2) losses and a tie with a goals against average of 1.71.

Meet the goaltender for the Northern Capitals in this video c/o CKPG.

Christmas is the time for giving and the Campbell River Female Bantam Hurricanes hockey team did just that. In the month of December, the girls participated in giving back to the community by babysitting at Georgia Park School for their annual Christmas concert. They assisted the teachers in their classrooms by keeping the children cool, calm and collected before and after their concert performance.

The weekend before Christmas, the Hurricanes were again out in the community, this time bringing cheer to the residents of Berwick by the Sea, a seniors facility in Campbell River. The girls, along with former Hurricane Tara Dickson, visited the residents before entertaining the resident with some caroling during the family day at Berwick.

c/o Hockey Canada

The first time Nathan Vanoosten officiated a hockey game he was 12 years old and had no idea what to do with himself.

"I was very nervous because I didn't know where to stand," he says, laughing. "I was terrified. It's funny because the second and third game was night and day from that first game, where I was nervous, and afraid to make that first penalty call or that first offside call."

Fast-forward 21 years and those feelings of fear have given way to a comfort and confidence that earned the native of Burnaby, BC an assignment as a linesman at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship.

"I felt quite a few emotions working my first game in Montreal (Czech Republic vs. Finland); definitely excitement and some nerves, and at the same time just blessed to be a small part of it."

Three (3) years ago Vanoosten was in Dumfries, Great Britain, calling lines at another World Juniors; Division I, Group B. where six (6) teams - France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan and Ukraine - were fighting for promotion to Division I, Group A, still one (1) stop short of the top level.

The Dumfries Ice Bowl is a small venue, but it provided a good training ground for what Vanoosten could expect at the Bell Centre and Air Canada Centre down the line. For one thing, the need to block out the drumming and chanting of passionate travelling fan bases.

"You don't get caught up in it," says Vanoosten. "But you can't help but notice it. It's a pretty cool feeling."

And for another, the sheer passion and pride everyone brings to the ice.

"The intensity's always there in these tournaments, whether it's Division I, Group B, or the World Junior Championship," he says. "The players are trying their best, especially when they are representing their country, and we are expected to do the same night in and night out."

The officials assigned to Montreal and Toronto come from 12 different countries - more than the number of competing teams - and just like the players, they need to come together as one (1) unit as quickly as possible.

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The third annual Winter Classic Hockey Jamboree in support of the BC Children's Hospital was held January 5 - 8, 2017 at Apex Resort. Six (6) teams of Atom aged players battled on the ice for the title. But the biggest battle took place off the ice.

The participants, players, parents and organizers were able to raise over $24,000 for the BC Children's Hospital Foundation. The tournament was hosted by the Kelowna Atom Development B team and featured teams from Penticton, West Kelowna, Burnaby Winter Club, Seafair and Vancouver. In all, close to 120 players aged nine (9) and 10 took to the ice. In the end, the Kelowna team won the tournament, defeating Burnaby Winter Club in the final.

This event started three (3) years ago and has gained more momentum every year, raising respectively $10,000, $17,000 and now $24,000, for a total over over $51,000! All participants really embraced the challenges of raising money, engaging in activities ranging from bottle drives and silent auctions to selling hot chocolates on cold winter nights at local ski hills.

Coming together as a group to not only play our favourite sport but to support one (1) of their own little players who is currently battling cancer made it that much more meaningful. The event was a great success yet again in all aspects and supported a great cause.

BC Hockey is proud to offer the membership an easy way to shop for our favorite gear. The BC Hockey Locker Room  offers a wide variety of apparel and other small hockey items for men, women and children.

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