hockey for all centre’s biggest tournament welcomes more than 60,000 over two weeks
What has 1,350 periods, lasts two weeks, and requires more than 120,000 litres of water?
You’ll find the answer at hockey for all centre this coming holiday season as the venue continues to host its biggest tournament, the Winnipeg Jets Challenge Cup.
What started as a way to keep quiet ice busy over the holiday season quickly evolved into a must-enter tournament, growing from 20 house league teams, to 40, then 80, to now, a decade later, being recognized as a preeminent tournament with a capacity of up to 210 teams. The tournament sells out in less than two weeks and typically has a wait list of more than 40 teams.
“From a personal standpoint, I’m very proud to have been able to work with such an amazing team to create this event and help it grow to what has become hockey for all centre’s marquee tournament,” said Dean Court, Business and Amateur Hockey Development & Programming Manager for hockey for all centre, who conceptualized the event and nurtured its growth over the seasons. “It takes a whole team to support an endeavour of this size and make it happen behind the scenes, and when we see the community this tournament creates, it is so worthwhile for us.”
While there may be minor tournaments that exceed this size, Court and his colleagues are not aware of a bigger tournament that is able to be housed exclusively in one facility. With four ice pads going at once, the venue will be a flurry of activity.
This year’s tournament will welcome 180 teams, 2,600 players and as many as 60,000 visitors altogether. With more than 40 teams coming in from rural Manitoba, northern Ontario and Saskatchewan and as far away as Rankin Inlet, the event also provides a good boost for area hotels and businesses.
Court notes team capacity fluctuates from year to year based on how the holidays fall and the practice schedule of the Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose, as the tournament home is also the official practice facility of Winnipeg’s two professional hockey teams.
As an added perk, players and spectators can watch team practices during their down time.
“It is a unique connection that our Jets and Moose have with this event,” said Court adding that all registered players get a free Manitoba Moose game ticket and over $100,000 in unique Jets and Moose prizing is given away to teams. Players and spectators can expect to see team mascots Mick E. Moose and Benny throughout, participate in fun activations, and maybe even see the
mselves featured in some Jets content.
This is the truly the fun part for Court and his team – the off-ice moments that become forever memories.
“The on-ice wins are exciting, and we’ve seen it all at this tournament over the years – the underdog victories, the comebacks, the upsets, but some of the greatest moments happen off the ice, when you run into neighbours, old coaches, former teammates. This is a true community event where you learn how expansive the hockey network is and combined with the time of year there’s something really special in the air during this event.”