Brandon, MB – Assiniboine Community College Students’ Association and Assiniboine Community College Police Studies class are pleased to announce this years’ fourth annual Road Bash Road Hockey Tournament will be in support of Diabetes Canada. All registration fees, raffle prize funds and profits from the event will go to Diabetes Canada to help send kids with type 1 diabetes to D-Camp this summer. The goal is to raise over $5000. The Road Bash is a road hockey tournament organized and hosted by the Assiniboine Community College Police Studies students and the Assiniboine Community College Students’ Association. A different local charity or non-profit is chosen to support each year. The event is open to community members ages 16+, to register teams of eight, to compete in a full day tournament in the parking lot of the Len Evans Centre for Trades & Technology. A beer gardens will be hosted in the shelter of the carpentry shop, along with a raffle table and food sales. This years’ event will take place on the 7th of April. Last year the Road Bash raised just over $4,700 ($4,715.86) for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Brandon. Sponsors of the event included Scotiabank, Caring Companions, Team Kirkland Realty, Progressive Sanitation, Bee Clean Building Maintenance, Westman Communications, Montana’s, J&M Industries, Pizza Express and 94.7 Star FM. Save the date, the registration for this years’ tournament will open in February. There will be upcoming announcements with further information about this years’ event. Assiniboine Community College Police Studies Program: is an innovative program that helps students develop the skills they need for a professional career in protective services. The Police Studies students aim to make a difference in peoples lives though positive interactions in the community, and look forward to applying their skills to make the 2018 Road Bash a success. Contact: Luke Fehr, ACC Police Studies Student, fehrl2@assiniboine.net Assiniboine Community College Students’ Association: is a non-profit organization, which exists to support students attending the college. Our mission is to encourage student success by being the voice of the students while enhancing the student life experience. Contact: Karleigh Paul, Events & Marketing Coordinator, paulk7121@assiniboine.net, 204-7258700 ext. 6644 Diabetes Canada: Diabetes Canada leads the fight against diabetes by helping those affected by diabetes live healthy lives, preventing the onset and consequences of diabetes, and discovering a cure. Contact: John LoRegio, Branch Coordinator, john.loregio@diabetes.ca

Brandon Ringette had a successful weekend at the Transcona Ringette Tournament in Winnipeg January 19-21 with our U12 and U16 teams coming home with GOLD!  Both teams went undefeated throughout the tournament.  The U12, pictured above, beat the Fort Garry Flyers 6-4 in the final. Our U16 team, pictured below, beat Garden City 5-2 in the final.

A club with more than a century of history in the city of Winnipeg will play host to the 2019 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship, it was announced today by Curling Canada. The Fort Rouge Curling Club will host the 56th edition of the Canadian Mixed, Nov. 5-10, 2018, and it’ll be the second straight year the national four-player mixed championship has been decided in Manitoba, after Swan River staged the highly successful 2018 Canadian Mixed. “We were thrilled to have our bid accepted by Curling Canada, and I know everyone at the Fort Rouge will be working extremely hard over the next 10 months to make sure we’re ready to put on a wonderful show for the curlers and fans alike,” said Brad McLean, who will serve with Deb McCreanor as Host Committee Co-Chairs. “We love our curling at the Fort Rouge, but we also love making sure people have a good time, and I know the 2019 Canadian Mixed will have plenty of opportunities for visitors to do exactly that.” “We’re very much looking forward to working with Curling Canada in staging this important event during our 100th Anniversary season as a club,” added Jim Macgregor, president of the Fort Rouge Curling Club. “It’s going to be an exciting time for our planning committee, staff, and members as we welcome players and visitors from across our country to ‘The Home of Friendly Curling.’ ” The winner of the 2019 Canadian Mixed Championship will represent Canada at the 2019 World Mixed Curling Championship (dates, location TBA by the World Curling Federation). It will be the third time the city of Winnipeg has played host to the Canadian Mixed — in 1974 (won by Saskatchewan’s Rick Folk) and 1981 (won by Northern Ontario’s Rick Lang). Additionally, the Canadian Mixed visited Morris, Man., in 2011 (won by Prince Edward Island’s Robert Campbell), Brandon in 1989 (also won by Campbell of P.E.I.) and St. Boniface, Man., in 1968 (won by Saskatchewan’s Larry McGrath). Winnipeg has hosted a number of other major curling championships in past, including five Briers, the latest in 2008 when Alberta’s Kevin Martin won the Tim Hortons Brier while undefeated. The city also played host to the 2013 Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings. “The Fort Rouge Curling Club has an enthusiastic and engaged membership, and we couldn’t have been happier to throw our support behind its bid to host the 2019 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship,” said Craig Baker, Executive-Director of CurlManitoba. “I’m very excited to see what they put together, and I know everybody who makes the trip to Winnipeg in 2019 will be welcomed with open arms.” Manitoba teams have won eight national mixed titles, beginning with Ernie Boushy’s victory in 1964 at Toronto — the first edition of the Canadian Mixed. Boushy followed up with another victory in 1966 at Thunder Bay, Ont. Other Manitoba champions include Barry Fry in 1973 at Charlottetown, Harold Tanasichuk in 1977 at Halifax, Jim Dunstone in 1980 at St. John’s, Jeff Stoughton in 1988 at North Bay, Ont., and again in 1991 at Thunder Bay, and Sean Grassie in 2009 at Iqaluit, Nunavut. “I was delighted to learn that the Fort Rouge Club had bid for the Canadian Mixed Championship and even more delighted to learn that its bid had been approved by our championship host city selection team,” said Resby Coutts, Chair of Curling Canada’s Board of Governors. “It will be a great host committee to work with, and I know the visiting fans, players and media will be treated to a terrific show.” The Canadian Mixed Championship made its debut in Toronto in 1964 and has been won a leading 11 times by Alberta, including last season’s triumph by Mick Lizmore in Toronto. Saskatchewan is next with 10 titles. This past November, Ontario’s Mike Anderson won the 2018 Canadian Mixed in Swan River, giving Ontario its fourth national four-player mixed gold medal. The Anderson team will represent Canada at the third World Mixed Championship in mid-October (dates, location to be announced by the World Curling Federation). CBC Sports will provide live streaming coverage of the 2019 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship, through to the gold-medal game.

Here is the reality right away, the odds of playing in the NHL – WHL or NCAA from playing High School Hockey in Manitoba is very low.  From my memory the only player to move up from High School Hockey to the WHL is Brett Brooks of Winnipeg who is now playing for the U of M Bisons. However there are plenty of upsides to playing high school hockey: Affordable Limited travel Building school spirit Still playing a level of competitive hockey Dan Landry, coach at Vincent Massey, has had a decent amount of success since he has taken over the coaching tasks. BDNMB – Dan why would someone choose to play high school hockey? Dan – The ability to represent their school which is very important… the kids that play AAA Midget they don’t get to play for their school as an example.  The friendships that they make playing high school hockey lasts a lifetime.  Plus we have the chance to go on big trips like we went to Anaheim this year or Dauphin went to Texas.  That is selling feature for sure. BDNMB – You have a good handle on social media, do you think your players and family members embrace what you are doing? Dan – Yeah I think so ….. we are trying to stay as active as possible and most kids want to be involved with the polls etc. BDNMB – Do you feel some of your players, or league players, can make the jump to the MJHL? Dan – We think there is the opportunity for that but it depends on how much work they are willing to put in.  Last year we had three players from the league went to the MJHL. BDNMB – Any success stories to share? Dan – Biggest one having kids coming back and saying that I am never taken anything for granted because the kids would think that high school would be easy and just something to do.  This becomes much more than hockey.  Zach Whitecloud played at Vincent Massey after being cut from the AAA Wheat Kings twice.  He is going to play in the NHL. BDNMB – What are the costs? Dan – It costs $1,500.00 for normal fees for $750.00 a black ace (practice player) plus an additional $1,500.00 to go on our big trip. BDNMB – Do the players get any “special” treatment from their school? Dan – NO ….. zero we get no special treatment at all. We are basically not recognized by the school.  We have won three years in a row and never nominated for team of the year. BDNMB – Teams like Crocus and Dauphin have appeared to be arch rivals and in the case of a fight what happens to those players in school? Dan – Players were suspended for 3 games and nothing happened at the school level. BDNMB – What is the future of the Westman High School League? Dan – If a school wants to have a team they have to be prepared for the level or calibre.  This isn’t a recreational hockey league by any means. BDNMB – Why do this? Dan – Love for the kids ….. coached Pee Wee and Bantam and when I was 25 I got the call.  The program has really evolved over the 4 years that I have been involved. **** UPDATE some names to add to High School Alumni - Brock Nixon from Russell / WHL / CIS / EUROPE - Brandon Lockerby from Brandon / WHL - Carson McMillan from Brandon / WHL / AHL / NHL / EUROPE - Ryan Reeves from Winnipeg / WHL AND NHL

Three members of the Brandon Wheat Kings were among those named today in the NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of the top prospects for the 2018 NHL Draft.  Recently acquired players Luka Burzan and Chase Hartje were both listed at 89 & 181 respectively.  Second year forward Cole Reinhardt came in at 164 in North America. Reinhardt has scored 11 goals and has 17 points in 43 games this season. Other notables include defencemen Jett Woo (20th – Winnipeg, Man. / Moose Jaw Warriors) and defencemen Calen Addison (34th – Brandon, Man. / Lethbridge Hurricanes). This years draft is scheduled for June 22-23 in Dallas, Texas.  The full list can be found here.