NANAIMO — With ten teams and two divisions, the Nanaimo Ball Hockey League is underway
Games began on Saturday, April 20 with organizer Bruce Avender saying there’s already a high level of competition.
“Everybody was happy to get going. We had our new teams playing their first couple games and they really enjoyed it. A couple of them had an eye opening experience seeing the calibre of players in the league now.”
Avender said one of the main goals for this season was ensuring no team would be left with a short roster.
They’re trying to take extra steps to ensure short benches are a thing of the past.
“One of our biggest things for improving over the last two years was making sure every team was full prior to the season starting. We wanted to have everybody registered with us through BC Ball Hockey. For the most part all the teams have been really good at that.”
The NBHL is also trying to attract young players to the sport.
There won’t be league play for a kids division but some on floor sessions will start up soon.
“For kids we’re going to be doing drop in sessions to start. It’s absolutely massive in Vancouver, Kamloops in Kelowna so we want to jump in as well. We’ll have sessions with skills and drills starting soon in May. We want kids to come and check it out and see how it feels.”
Nanaimo has an A and B division this season and Avender said the players come from a variety of different backgrounds.
“We also have all sorts of hockey players. We have a young team called the Huskies who are all ice hockey guys. We have the Roadrunners and they play almost every day you’d think. So it’s pretty much all over the place in terms of skill level.”
League games will be played outside at the Harewood Covered Box and indoors at the Nanaimo Ice Centre and Frank Crane Arena.
It’s expected Nanaimo will have two berths into the BC Ball Hockey provincials this July in Vernon.
The next games in the NBHL are Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28 with the regular season running through until June.
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