Laughter, hot chocolate and the sound of skates filled the Sun Peaks Skating Rink Dec. 22 as local hockey players in the Sun Peaks Hockey League invited their children onto the ice for an annual family-friendly game.
The event brought together roughly a dozen children between the ages of nine and 16, most of them kids of parents who play in the league, along with several other young players from Sun Peaks and the surrounding area.
“It was a really fun game,” said Marc Smith, one of the organizers, noting both parents and kids were eager to take part. “The kids had a blast, the parents had a blast, the adults had a lot of fun.”
The informal matchup featured mixed teams of adults and children, with players keeping the atmosphere light and inclusive. Hot chocolate and cookies warmed players after the game.
The weekly Thursday Night League was organized after the Sun Peaks rink roof was completed following the COVID-19 pandemic. The league typically has about 28 full-time players, with a growing list of roughly 30 spares to ensure games can be filled each week.
Once or twice a year, the league opens the ice to players’ children and other young community members.
“The kids enjoy it because they’re with their parents and also with their friends,” Smith said. “It’s obviously fantastic for the parents who are just having a blast out there shooting passes to their kids, and everyone’s pretty respectful.”
Score was kept during the games, with one matchup won by the brown team and a second ending in a tie. Teams were selected by captains Ryan Schmalz and Brent Traxel rather than set rosters.
Several young players stood out for their energy and enthusiasm including Gus Schmalz, a centre on the brown team who scored a goal and added multiple assists, and Jennifer Knudsen the only girl on the ice, who was praised for her strong skating and offensive pressure.
“She was really just going to the net and making great attempts on goals and just being in the plays,” Smith said. “She was outstanding.”
Others mentioned included Blake Morris, Nash Traxel and Drew Traxel, Parker Rinaldi, Flynn Grunling, Atlin Kerchinsky and Matteo Donais, who all brought excellent effort and attitude to the game.
Smith also credited municipal staff for maintaining the rink, describing the facility as a “crown jewel” among B.C. hockey venues.
“They really do an incredible job of maintaining that facility, keeping us engaged, keeping the ice in incredible shape.”
The game builds on what Smith describes as more than 25 years of recreational hockey history in Sun Peaks, dating back to makeshift outdoor rinks and earlier facilities of tennis courts and barns.
The event will return next year, continuing a tradition focused on fun, community connection and creating lasting memories for local families.
“It really is a good memory for those kids in particular, I’d say lifelong memories for them to do this type of thing,” Smith said. “We were pretty pleased to have the turn out that we did and seeing those big smiles.”
What did you think of this story?
Sun Peaks Independent News is your essential source for community news in Sun Peaks. Your feedback after we publish a story helps ensure we're always improving our reporting to better serve you.
