The 2023 Provincial Floor Hockey Championships presented by Canadian Tire were held at Carlton High School in Prince Albert January 27th - 29th. It was an action-packed weekend as 8 teams from across the province came together to compete for the chance to qualify for the 2024 SOC Winter games! Parents, family members, volunteers, and individuals from the community gathered together and cheered the athletes on all weekend long.
Division One was comprised of the Regina Vipers and the Lakeland Wolf Pack. Division Two was made up of the Regina Raptors, the Swift Current Broncos, and the Humboldt Broncos. Division Three consisted of the Saskatoon Stingers, the Moose Jaw Cobras, and the Lakeland Wild Ones.
Friday evening, buses of eager athletes crowded the parking lot of the hotel. The teams later gathered in the banquet room for a heart meal and the Welcoming Ceremonies. There were messages from the SOS staff, SO PA athlete Tyler Svenson, and MLA Alana Ross. We also heard messages on behalf of tournament sponsors SaskTel and Canadian Tire.
Saturday morning, the lobbies and gyms of the Carlton Physical Activity Centre at Carlton High School were buzzing with excitement and anticipation as athletes, coaches, volunteers, and family/friends eagerly awaited the start of the action. Throughout the day, teams went head-to-head, battling it out in some fun competition, doing their best to help their team succeed. Upon completion of the games on Saturday, teams reunited back in the banquet room, where they were treated to some live entertainment from local musician, Donny Parenteau. Athletes and coaches alike were moving and grooving from start to finish, coming together for a fun evening of dancing and comradery.
When Sunday morning rolled around, the game faces were back on, and the teams were ready to compete hard in their respective medal rounds. In Division 1, the Regina Vipers came away with the gold medal, and the Lakeland Wolf Pack took home the silver. In Division 2, it was a close one that kelp spectators on the edge of their seats with the game winner being scored in double overtime by the Humboldt Broncos, who secured the gold medal over the Regina Raptors. In Division 3, the Lakeland Wild Ones and the Moose Jaw Cobras battled it out for the title. In the end, it was the Wild Ones who took the gold and the Cobras earned the silver. In our consolation round, the Swift Current Broncos from Division 2 took away the victory over the Division 3 Saskatoon Stingers. Both teams were awarded bronze medals for their third place finishes in their divisions.
With a busy weekend coming to a close, the teams took to their buses to make the trip back home. It was another enjoyable experience of having athletes from different communities come together to not only compete, but to connect. Thank you to the volunteers and the sponsors who made this event possible, and thank you to everyone else who came out to show their support!
