TISDALE — Unlike with previous years, where the Tisdale Minor Hockey Association (TMHA) held an exclusive awards night, hockey fans got to see their major awards being presented at a Tisdale Trojans home game.
“We’ve had an awards night in the past, but this time it’s just a different look,” said Matt Wallington, president of the association.
“We wanted to still recognize the major awards from TMHA and give them the due recognition. We thought at a Trojans’ game that was a good place to do that with all the fans to come out and give them the recognition they deserved.”
Wallington said this past season the association saw enrollment increase by about 10 to 12 per cent.
“We had a lot of teams, a lot of kids in every division – we had very few issues,” he said. “We had a very successful year.
Changes during the year included Novice, who changed to play half-ice instead of full-ice for the first half of the year, then transitioning to full ice.
Wallington said the increase in enrollment means more teams, more use of the rink and more kids playing hockey in the community.
“To me it means the organization has done a good job of enticing new people to come out and try the game and keep playing.”
The Boulanger Goaltender Award was handed out to Logan Benson, a Bantam goalie for Tisdale.
The goaltender award is presented to a player from Pee Wee, Bantam or Midget that brings dedication, sportsmanship and ability into the position.
“Logan is a well-rounded goaltender,” Wallington said. “He’s engaged and he’s eager to play. He has a desire to excel at the position and has a good team mentality. He’s respectful to all coaches and officials, and everything else about the game. He has been a good role model for kids the whole time he’s been in hockey and he’s an overall good kid, a good person and a good goalie”
Benson credited the award to his team.
“I think that just having a good team and having them back me up just always helps out, and we won a couple games,” Benson said. “We had a rough start to the year but after Christmas we turned things up.”
He said he intends to go back into the sport next year, joining Midget.
Award winners
The Ian Dierker Memorial Award: Madeline Kenke
Clark J. Froehlick Award: Lucas Hvidston
Trojan Pee Wee AA MVP Award: Jaxson Kehrig
T.A. Jellicoe Award: Sydney Scheidl
Tisdale Rambler Bill Allan Memorial Award: Wilson Kushniruk
TMHA Referee Award: Reagan Lajoie
Hunter Award: Wislon Kusniruk
Boulanger Goaltender Award: Logan Benson
George Butt Award: Gary Cleaveley
