Sports

Orangeville Tigers host hockey tournament for young players

March 10, 2022   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The Orangeville Tigers hosted a successful tournament over the weekend with games taking place on Saturday, March 5, and Sunday, March 6, at the Alder Street arena in Orangeville.

The March Madness Jamboree is more of a learning experience for young female hockey players and the teams were from U7 and U9 divisions.

Players learn new skills and gain experience playing against other teams from around the region.

Teams from Orangeville, Mississauga, Owen Sound, London, North Halton, and Haldimand took part in the tournament on Saturday. On Sunday, teams arrived from Grand Valley, Georgina, Cambridge, and Orillia.

“This is the third March Madness Jamboree hosted by the Orangeville Girls Hockey Association,” said Marie Darch, communications coordinator for the association. “A jamboree is designed to engage players in a fun environment. Players come together and are placed onto teams. The emphasis is on fun and fair play.”

Players are all aged between four and nine years-old.

Many of the games were played on a half-ice set-up which is more suitable for younger players and allows them to learn how to play the game in a tighter environment and game situation rather than trying play on full sized arena ice.

This was an important tournament for the Tigers. It was the first tournament hosted by Orangeville Girls Hockey Association since the start of the pandemic.

Earlier this year, when the provincial government announced new restrictions including use of public buildings, the Tigers had to cancel their planned tournaments.

This included the Winter Classic Tournament, and the very popular Sweetheart Tournament which is a major fundraiser for the organization.

The Tigers have otherwise managed to do well during the pandemic through careful planning which has allowed them to continue most hockey operations.

The regular season wraps up this week with final games being played on March 12.

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