NEWS RELEASE
COLLINGWOOD SILVER STICK TOURNAMENT
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The cliché is "bigger and better “, but it fits for the 2022 edition of the Silver Stick Collingwood hockey tournament.
Silver Stick Collingwood is back in full operation for the first time since 2019. The new season comes with new excitement and it comes with significant changes as the first weekend of games gets set for the weekend of Nov. 18-20.
This weekend, 29 teams will compete in four separate age groups, with the goal being to earn the spot reserved for the winning teams at International Silver Stick Finals.
The biggest change for this years’ event is that Silver Stick Collingwood is growing with Collingwood Minor Hockey. The tournament is now for 'A' level teams at the U11, U13, U15 and U18 age groups after over 20 years of hosting additional entry teams. The winners will go to either Sarnia, Ontario or Port Huron, Michigan, for the Internal Silver Stick finals depending on the age group.
The change comes with Collingwood Minor Hockey’s advancement to 'A' level hockey and International Silver Stick reorganizing tournaments in the South Georgian Bay area.
The other major change is with the leadership of the annual tournament. Dale West has been the chair and tournament director since 2005 but is stepping aside for health reasons. The new chair and director is Scott Hewlitt.
Hewlitt, a board member with Collingwood Minor Hockey, eagerly accepted the opportunity when West announced his need to step down this season.
“The tournament has a great reputation in the area, and within our organization and the Silver Stick family, I was thrilled to have the chance to become the organizer,” says Hewlitt.
“It has been an exciting summer,” says Hewlitt “meeting with other Silver Stick organizers, and getting ready for the new look tournament. It has been hectic and a great experience all at the same time.”
For West, it has been a summer of mixed emotions as he helped in the background to get the 2022 tournaments underway.
“Every time I completed a task this fall there was a moment of reflection as I realized it was the last time to do this, bittersweet for sure,” says West.
West has been the head of the tournament since 2005, but says many others deserve the accolades.
“So many others have made it possible for Silver Stick to happen and I was lucky to have the help of people like Matt and Angie Erickson, Brad and Bonnie Parkes and my wife Linda," says West. "People don’t know how much of this went so well because of Linda behind the scenes. It was a great crew.”
The third big change this year is that the houseleague/ local league edition has moved into December 9-11. The tournament expanded from 18 teams to 32 and will play in Collingwood, Thornbury and Stayner.
“This is going to be exciting,” says Hewlitt. “Registration spots were snapped up quickly. Teams love the Silver Stick opportunity and the chance to get to a finals tournament where they will get to play an International opponent. It is something not many players who enjoy playing this level of hockey get to experience.”
The first tournament kicks off Friday, Nov. 18 with games at both Collingwood arenas, and in Thornbury.
The championship games are Sunday at the Eddie Bush Memorial Arena. Admission is free all weekend long, and fans can follow along online here.
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