Toni Lucas, Pincher Creek Voice
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| Dan Crawford (left) is one of the organizers for the 48 hour hockey game C.Davis photo |
"Most of us can't take all that much time off, but a weekend, we can do," said Crawford. He expressed an interest in booking the weekend early in the season to avoid conflicts with other clubs for ice time.
The marathon game will get the teams off to an early start and the money that the teams raise in registration fees will go to offset costs with the remainder to be donated to the Windy Slopes Foundation toward new equipment for the hospital.
The clubs will be inviting adults 30 years and older to participate in the tournament. "The aim of it is to raise some money for the hospital. A couple of our guys have had heart attacks, and one won't be playing this year because of heart surgery," Crawford explained. He said a partnership with Windy Slopes will allow the Old Timers Hockey League to give tax receipts.
"What I need from guys is the ice, and In order to run for 48 hours, we need a Zamboni driver for the night-time," said Crawford.
"We are looking for about 90 guys, and we can find that right in town here," he continued. Currently in the planning stages, the outline Crawford proposed involved having the players pay $250 to $300 per player to join. He laid out the costs that they expect to incur over the weekend. "Anything that isn't spent on that weekend to get through the tournament, we want to donate to the hospital."
"Guys will be coming out of the woodwork for this, there's guys that don't play anymore because they don't want to be committed to all year, but they'll come for something like this," said Cal "Pappy" Olsen.
Councillor Roy Smyth pointed out that there used to be Cowley/Lundbreck teams and Crawford expressed a willingness to include members from the entire district, not just the Town of Pincher Creek.
Council unanimously passed a motion to allow the ice time.
In a separate interview, Crawford said he was inspired by the Hockey Marathon for Kids held in Chestermere earlier this year, which ran for ten and a half days.
"I thought that was a pretty cool idea, but I really don't want to play hockey for ten and a half days, that looks like way too much work. I got thinking a 48 hour hockey game, just one weekend, would be kind of neat. I talked to a couple of guys from the hockey team (the Pincher Creakers) and kind of made a plan about how to make it happen, how it could work, and then we've just been working towards that ever since."
"We need 80 players and 8 goalies, and then some spares in case somebody gets hurt or called away or whatever," Crawford explained.
"We will be looking for some sponsors to help pay for the ice, and donations towards the cause would be fine too."
The game is tentatively planned to take place in early October. A website is being set up for information and registrations.
