A new multisport club is starting operations in Brandon with the hopes of bringing a variety of sports programs to Brandon and the Westman region. Nextplay, operated by Brian Staples, will be starting operations from scratch this fall beginning with an Adult Ball Hockey League and an Adult Futsal League (indoor soccer). As a kid Brian was a regular at Wheelies, the old roller rink on the North Hill, and since its closing he’s always wanted to create a bigger and better version. He opened up a multi-sport club in Kelowna which ran roller derby, inline hockey, ball hockey, indoor soccer, indoor golf, birthdays, concerts, trade shows, and a sports bar. What started as just a roller rink at the time blossomed into multiple sports leagues, and became a great place to keep fit and make new friends! Now he wants to do the same thing for Westman. The Adult Ball Hockey League will be shorter for its inaugural season with 10 regular season games and up to 5 more in the playoffs. Games will be played once a week and depending what division you’re in will determine what week night you play. Registration for ball hockey will be $100/player, and games will be played out of the Keystone Centre on the sport court tile. Portable fences will be used as the rink boards until they are able to raise enough registration revenue to purchase new custom rink boards.   Once purchased these rink boards can be easily set up and moved when the Keystone requires the space for other events. The ball hockey season will start Oct 4th and 5th, with 6 teams in Division 1 Ball Hockey on Wednesday evenings and 6 teams available for Division 2 on Tuesdays.  For ball hockey, all you need is a helmet, gloves and a regular hockey stick. Games will be played in 2-25 minute halves. As Brian tells bndmb.ca “I want people to know the leagues are just for fun, and that anyone can play. We offer different skill level divisions.”  You can contact Brian at brianstaples@nextplay.ca for more information on how to get invoved with the various leagues. 

GFW World Champion Nick "MAGNUS" Aldis vs. CWE Tag Team Champion Mr. Inkredible A HUGE heavyweight encounter has officially been signed for Canadian Wrestling's Elite return to the "Wheat City" on September 28th! If Nick Aldis is to retain his GFW World Championship prior to CWE's event in Brandon on The Destined For Greatness Tour he will defend against one of the most feared men in all of professional wrestling, Mr. Inkredible! Mr. Inkredible is one half of the CWE Tag Team Champions as one half of Pain & Punishment and the only American born wrestler Magnus will defend his GFW World Championship against on the entire tour. Although born in Virginia and based out of North Dakota, CWE is Mr. Inkredible's home as he competes in Canadian Wrestling's Elite more than any other organization and has found the most success here. As one of the hardest hitters in professional wrestling many men have pulled out of scheduled matches with Mr, Inkredible upon the announcement of their match with him because of the long list of men he has severely injured throughout his career and the amount of careers he has shortened with major head trauma with his "Black Hammer" lariat. At 6'2", 260lbs, very few men can match size with Mr. Inkredible but Nick Aldis is very close. Given the fact he is comparable in size and a former a New Japan Pro Wrestling IWGP Tag Team Champion it is safe to safe Aldis is quite familiar and capable of competing against a man of Inkredible's size and ability to hit as hard as he does. However Nick Aldis will be many matches into the tour by the time September 28th rolls around and Brandon will be Mr. Inkredible's first appearance on the tour which could give him an incredible advantage to say the least if Aldis is still the reigning and defending championship. This match promises to be a true display of heavyweight wrestling at the highest level and YOU can be there to see it live! For full event information visit www.cwecanada.ca

Without a doubt one of the youngest executives in the WHL this season will be 30 year old Brandon product, (I sound like Luber a bit) Mickey McCrimmon. Mick’s hockey career has featured stops in the MJHL, SJHL, BCHL, NCAA and CIS. Today he was announced as the Wheat Kings new Assistant GM working along with Grant Armstrong who was also annouced the new GM. We had a moment to talk to Mick today about this new role. BDNMB – Mick was this kind of a shock to you at all? Mickey – No not really at all I spoke to dad earlier in the spring about working in some capacity. For the last three years I have attended league meetings and seen the business side. Since the spring obviously the role has expanded. BDNMB – What is your immediate role? Mickey – To get the know the league as good as possible, plus all our prospects. BDNMB – Was the plan in the spring and today totally different? Mickey – No, not really. I was basically going to do lots of the same except I would have my dad being my mentor. New Wheat Kings Assitant GM, Mikey McCrimmon, with his father Kelly after winning the 2016 WHL Championship.  Photo:  Brandon Wheat Kings Hockey Club BDNMB – One thing I marvel at is the scouts that have a love for the game watching 220 – 240 games a season like Mike Fraser and others, will you be doing the same? Mickey – No I will be at as many home games as possible and AAA Bantam and major tournaments and doing lots of travel around the league. BDNMB – Will you have a special hotline to call Kelly before pulling the trigger on a deal? Mickey – No dad will be respectful of the boundaries of the league, so Grant and myself are doing this full time, and it is our decision. However we will still rely on all our coaches and scouts to make decisions... it is done by committee. BDNMB – I saw a line on a college hockey ad that said Talent Gets You Noticed ….. Character Gets You Recruited would this be the same for the Wheat Kings and the WHL? Mickey – You have to be such a complete person today to be become a pro...the standard is so high and how your treat your body and off ice to how you cultivate yourself as a person. BDNMB – Predictions for the Wheat Kings this season? Mickey – We still have Duke and Kaspick and Patrick and Jordan will be one of the best goalies in the league so we have potential for a very good season.   Best of luck Mick from all of us at BDNMB.CA

Brooke Henderson’s name was not a household name two years ago. However lots can change in two years. Same could go for 15 year old Hayley Shanks from Brandon who shot 95 today at the Tamarack to become the Junior Women’s Medalist. Shanks felt she played well, her driver and short game were good, but her putter did let her down...“the greens just got faster as the day went along”. Hayley has now been in the Tamarack for 5 years and plans to play for as long as she can. Henderson a mentor of sorts for Shanks as she hopes one day to aspire to her levels of success. “ She started really young and has done so much for female golf” said Shanks. When we asked her what are the long term goals and she said “love to be able to play NCAA one day". At this pace I am sure when she will have plenty of schools to pick from in the next few years.

Branden Crowe will be your new play by play announcer for the Brandon Wheat King radio broadcasts on CKLQ for 2016-17 starting on September the 9th. Branden comes to CKLQ having spent last season as the Marketing Manger with the Virden Oil Caps of the MJHL. Prior to working in Virden he had spent time in Melfort with the Mustangs of the SJHL as their play by play announcer on CK750 AM. Branden hails from Boissevain, MB and is a graduate of Assiniboine Community College in 2011. He replaces Bruce Luebke who had previously held the job for the past 23 seasons.