With the Victoria Junior A Grizzlies and the Westshore Wolves off for their winter break, hockey fans’ heads turn to the Juan de Fuca Midget Grizzlies.
The Midget Tier 1 Grizzlies shake off the turkey and stuffing and headed to Richmond on Dec. 27 for the New Year’s Richmond International Tournament.
The Grizz hit the ice bright and early Sunday against the Alaska Oilers 18AA, before taking on the Vancouver Thunderbirds, Surrey Midget Tier 1 and Saanich Midget T1 in round-robin play. The tourney wraps up Dec. 31.
Here at home, the Tier 2 and 3 Grizzlies compete in the Midget New Year’s Classic.
The Juan de Fuca Tier 2s start play Monday (Dec. 28) when they go head-to-head against the Braves Tier 3s at Esquimalt’s Archie Browning Sports Centre at 9:20 a.m.
Later that day the Grizzlies face Powell River Tier 2 at 5:20 p.m. at the Oak Bay Rec Centre, then they finish off round-robin play Tuesday, taking on Burnaby Tier 3 at 5 p.m. at the Wurtele Arena in the Naden Athletic Centre.
The Tier 3 Grizzlies also start play Dec. 28 when they face Sooke Tier 2 at Archie Browning at 7:20 a.m. Play continues later that day when Juan de Fuca plays Nanaimo Tier 2 at 7 p.m. at Wurtele Arena. On Tuesday (Dec. 29) the Grizzlies wrap up round-robin play against Alberni Valley Tier 3 at 3:15 p.m. at Oak Bay.
The gold medal game for Tier 2 gets underway at 5:10 p.m. at Archie Browning, while the Tier 3 gold medal will be decided at 5:30 p.m. at Oak Bay Recreation Centre.
On the local sports fundraising front, the West Shore-based Victoria Titans U15 field lacrosse Tier 1 team asks West Shore families to contribute bottles to their team’s bottle drive. The team is available for bottle pick-up through Saturday, Jan 2. Contact titansbottledrive@yahoo.ca for pick up and more information.
Local lacrosse fans take note: Victoria Shamrocks’ season tickets are available at 250-478-7625 weekdays or visit 967 Langford Pkwy. Tuesdays, Thursdays or Fridays from 12 to 5 p.m. Those renewing season tickets before Thursday, Dec. 31 will be entered to win your 2016 season tickets.
And for those with February’s Americas Rugby Championship on their calendar, you can now sign up for early bird tickets for men’s sevens games being held at Westhills Stadium, Feb. 6 against Uruguay and Feb. 20 against Brazil. For details visit events.rugbycanada.ca.
Calling all goddesses: Registration is open for all women planning to lace up for the fifth annual Victoria Goddess Run on June 5. This 10K and previously half-marathon (new for 2016 is a 15K distance) includes not only the races, but a full weekend of activities. The early bird registration special price is available until April 15.
Colin Gall is an athlete, avid sports fan and a student at Mount Douglas secondary. Email him with your game schedules to jocktalk@telus.net.