Tseshaht First Nation is among those who have stepped up to ensure youth can continue to watch junior hockey contests in Port Alberni for free.
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs, a Junior A squad that competes in the British Columbia Hockey League, and the Port Alberni Bombers, a Junior B club in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League, had a previous sponsorship deal with the San Group in place to allow those 18 and under to come to their home games for free when accompanied by an adult.
That deal, however, ended at the end of the last hockey season.
But Tseshaht First Nation officials joined forces with two of their businesses, Tseshaht Market and Tseshaht Forestry, to make sure that the program offering free tickets for youth continues for the 2024-25 season.
Tseshaht First Nation Chief Councillor Ken Watts is among those pleased to see a new deal was struck to keep the program running. More than 7,000 tickets were provided for free to youth that attended Bulldogs and Bombers home contests last season.
“It supports families coming together,” Watts said of the program. “We were proud to step up and contribute.”
Watts said he himself has taken advantage of the ticket program in the past and has attended Bulldogs’ games with his 12-year-old son Kailand and 17-year-old daughter Noelani.
“Every game we’ve gone to has always been a great time,” Watts said. “This is giving youth an opportunity to get out and do something with their families.”
Watts added going to junior hockey games is indeed a huge deal for a lot of local youngsters since many of them view the players as role models.
For now, Watts said the current sponsorship agreement is in place for one season.
“We’ll see how it goes after the first year,” he said.
Stefanie Weber, who is the director of business operations for both the Bulldogs and their affiliate Bombers, is also thrilled the free tickets for youth initiative is continuing.
“It’s become like a flagship program for our organization,” Weber said.
Both the Bulldogs and Bombers play their home contests at the Alberni Valley Multiplex. The facility has a capacity of about 1,850.
An adult ticket for a Bulldogs’ match costs $20. Every adult that purchases a ticket can receive up to two youth tickets for free. Weber added if a pair of adult tickets are bought, then four youth can also attend a match for free. That translates into six people coming to a contest and paying $40 in admission.
“That is very reasonable,” Weber said.
Bombers’ tickets are even less expensive. Adult tickets to watch the Junior B club are just $10 each. And again, up to two youth can attend a game for free for every adult ticket bought.
Weber said that in the past the majority of free tickets that have been given away have been for the Junior A Bulldogs, who play in a higher-calibre league.
Early indications are the Bombers might just have a rather successful season. As of mid- September the club had a perfect 4-0 record after a couple of weeks of regular season action. The Bombers, who compete in the VIJHL’s North Division, were tied atop the divisional standings with the Campbell River Storm with eight points. The Campbell River squad, however, had played one extra match and had a 4-1 mark.
Weber is hoping the Bombers’ torrid start will mean more people will also start going to their matches.
The Bombers’ six-team division also includes the Nanaimo Buccaneers, Comox Valley Glacier Kings, Oceanside Generals and Lake Cowichan Kraken.
The VIJHL also features a five-team South Division.
As for the Bulldogs, they compete in the BCHL’s 10-team Coastal Conference. The league also has an 11-squad Interior Conference.
The Bulldogs will commence their regular season on Sept. 20 with a home game versus the Nanaimo Clippers. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Another key date on the Bulldogs’ schedule is Sept. 28 when they square off against the Chilliwack Chiefs. That tilt is the Bulldogs’ Truth and Reconciliation game. It is the closest Bulldogs’ home contest that is staged ahead of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which is on Sept. 30.
