Ringette in Canada has never been more popular. Numbers have hit an all-time high across the country with more than 30,000 players and 2,000 teams registered last year. The fast-paced game is growing across the prairies too, with Winnipeg and surrounding area leading the Manitoba growth. A dedicated group of players and volunteers have brought ringette back to Brandon in recent years, but we need to keep introducing new players to the fun and friendship of the sport to keep it healthy. Come Try Ringette is a free event where kids get to try an hour of ringette with fun on-ice and off-ice activities on Saturday, Sept. 10 at the Enns Brothers Arena in the Keystone Centre. Kids only need a helmet and skates to take part. Sticks and rings will be provided. A limited number of helmets are also available. "Brandon Ringette is very happy to host this event as it gives kids starting at age four a chance to come try out the sport and learn what ringette is all about," said Sara Bell, Brandon Ringette Association president. “Once the players get out on the ice and see how much fun it is, they can’t wait to come back.” In addition to an hour of ice time, Come Try Ringette will include face-painting and entertainment, as well a used equipment sale. The event starts at 1 p.m. Parents can register at cometryringette.ca or email kylajmhenderson@gmail.com for more information. For more information contact: Sara Bell President  Brandon Ringette Association 204-570-1045 bryanandsarabell@live.com brandonringette.ca Kyla Henderson Publicity/Come Try Ringette Brandon Ringette Association 204-573-5083 kylajmhenderson@gmail.com

ROH Star Jason "The Gift" Kincaid & Shane Sabre vs. ROH Star The Beer City Bruiser & The Bullet Club's "Crown Jewel" Chase Owens Canadian Wrestling's Elite debuts at a brand new venue in Brandon, Manitoba and with it a new match has been signed that will blow the roof right off of the place! A special tag team attraction match has been signed that will have the fast paced and innovative Jason Kincaid join forces to battle Ring Of Honor's Beer City Bruiser and New Japan Pro Wrestling's Chase Owens! Jason Kincaid and Chase Owens are no stranger to each other but this will be the first time these four men with four independent and strong personalities are in the ring at the exact same time. All four men are headlining singles stars in their respective home territory and on September 28th they will headline once again!

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