Local Sports

BCHL

BCHL pod season will end without playoffs

With COVID restrictions still hampering the league, the Fred Page Cup won’t be awarded in 2021

Bulldogs forward Stephen Castagna flips the puck into the Clippers zone during a game on Oct. 24. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)

Island BCHL game postponed due to ‘potential positive’ COVID-19 test

Nanaimo Clippers team suspends activities, players isolating pending further test results

BCHL

BCHL stays tight-lipped about reasons for leaving Canadian Junior Hockey League

The BCHL retains affiliation with Hockey Canada and BC Hockey, but isn’t saying what comes next

The Chilliwack Chiefs and Coquitlam Express will finally play games in early April as the BCHL squeezes in a shortened 20 game season. Just-announced provincial funding may help the junior A league offset financial losses caused by the COVID pandemic. (Darren Francis photo)

Province provides relief funding for amateur sport

The government is directing $15 million to teams/leagues impacted by the COVID pandemic

The Chilliwack Chiefs and Coquitlam Express will finally play games in early April as the BCHL squeezes in a shortened 20 game season. Just-announced provincial funding may help the junior A league offset financial losses caused by the COVID pandemic. (Darren Francis photo)
Ucluelet Mountain Bike Association volunteers and Ucluelet First Nation youth work on a mountain bike trail in Ucluelet First Nations territory. (UMBA photo)

Landmark agreement between Ucluelet Mountain Bike Association and Ucluelet First Nation an exciting boon for Indigenous community and local riders

“The backbone of every mountain bike trail network is volunteer work.”

Ucluelet Mountain Bike Association volunteers and Ucluelet First Nation youth work on a mountain bike trail in Ucluelet First Nations territory. (UMBA photo)
BCHL

BCHL will have three teams playing in Burnaby during shortened season

The league announced five pod locations as the junior A league prepares to play in early April

BCHL
The Nanaimo Clippers in action at Frank Crane Arena in early 2020. (News Bulletin file photo)

Nanaimo Clippers for sale, owner says hockey won’t be back to normal any time soon

Wes Mussio says he’s had numerous inquiries about the junior A club already

The Nanaimo Clippers in action at Frank Crane Arena in early 2020. (News Bulletin file photo)
BCHL

BCHL season delayed once more, but league still hopes to play

The junior A league isn’t ready to sink the season, which is now pushed back into March

BCHL
The Westshore Wolves, along with eight other Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League teams, have been off the ice since last November due to pandemic-related restrictions. The league is awaiting the next round of public health orders, due this week, to plan its next moves. (Black Press Media file photo)

Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League awaits next public health order

Junior B league on pause since November due to COVID restrictions

  • Feb 1, 2021
The Westshore Wolves, along with eight other Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League teams, have been off the ice since last November due to pandemic-related restrictions. The league is awaiting the next round of public health orders, due this week, to plan its next moves. (Black Press Media file photo)
From left: Olivia Rhodes with a gold medal around her neck smiles beside USS teammate Caitlyn Midlane who proudly wore her silver at the Western Canada Age Class (Mike Rhodes photo), Maaqtusiis senior boys basketball team come together for a cheer during the Vancouver Island Championships in February (Curt McLeod photo), Sophie L’Homme and Cameron Dennison roar with excitement as they get set to broadcast ‘the best singing show the West Coast has ever heard’ on Tuff City Radio (Sophie L’Homme photo), and Canadian surf legend Peter Devries celebrates winning November’s Rip Curl Hometown Showdown (Bryanna Bradley photo).

Tofino and Ucluelet’s Top 10 sports and arts stories of 2020

Here is the Westerly’s ‘Year in Review’ for best sports and arts…

From left: Olivia Rhodes with a gold medal around her neck smiles beside USS teammate Caitlyn Midlane who proudly wore her silver at the Western Canada Age Class (Mike Rhodes photo), Maaqtusiis senior boys basketball team come together for a cheer during the Vancouver Island Championships in February (Curt McLeod photo), Sophie L’Homme and Cameron Dennison roar with excitement as they get set to broadcast ‘the best singing show the West Coast has ever heard’ on Tuff City Radio (Sophie L’Homme photo), and Canadian surf legend Peter Devries celebrates winning November’s Rip Curl Hometown Showdown (Bryanna Bradley photo).
Brett McLean of Comox played for the Colorado Avalanche in the 2005/06 and 2006/07 NHL seasons. He is now an assistant coach of the Minnesota Wild. Photo supplied

Vancouver Islander making NHL assistant coaching debut

Brett McLean of the Comox Valley opens coming NHL season behind the bench of the Minnesota Wild

Brett McLean of Comox played for the Colorado Avalanche in the 2005/06 and 2006/07 NHL seasons. He is now an assistant coach of the Minnesota Wild. Photo supplied
BCHL

BCHL delays start of the season as provincial health orders remain in place

The junior A league has been forced to abandon a plan to start in mid-January

BCHL
Madison Thomas manoeuvres the ball in the midfield for Cowichan United during a LIWSA match last fall. (Citizen file)

Vancouver Island soccer leagues make plans to move forward

Schedules and cup draws are set in case adult soccer gets go-ahead

Madison Thomas manoeuvres the ball in the midfield for Cowichan United during a LIWSA match last fall. (Citizen file)
Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association logo

If all goes to plan Vancouver Island minor hockey games could restart in mid-January

Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association set to go depending on what Dr. Bonnie Henry does Jan. 8

Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association logo
VIJHL in action. (file photo)

VIJHL suspends season until Jan. 10

Provincial health order preventing 19- and 20-year-olds from skating

VIJHL in action. (file photo)
The Bazan Bay 5K virtual challenge is slated to take place April 14-21. (Submitted photo)

Popular Vancouver Island running series offers virtual challenge for 2021

Participants can complete events on their own time

The Bazan Bay 5K virtual challenge is slated to take place April 14-21. (Submitted photo)
Tofino is relaunching reacreation programming after a temporary pause. (Westerly file photo)

COVID-19: Recreation programs start back up in Tofino after pause

“It’s a pretty limited offering, but it’s the best we can do with the provincial health orders.”

Tofino is relaunching reacreation programming after a temporary pause. (Westerly file photo)
The Pat Quinn Classic has been a popular tournament for top bantam and peewee teams in recent years, but COVID-19 means there will be no physical event this season. The scholarships established by the tournament are carrying on. (Pat Quinn Classic photo)

Pat Quinn Classic scholarships continue even as COVID cancels tournament

Female and male bantam players province wide are encouraged to apply for $1,000 scholarships

The Pat Quinn Classic has been a popular tournament for top bantam and peewee teams in recent years, but COVID-19 means there will be no physical event this season. The scholarships established by the tournament are carrying on. (Pat Quinn Classic photo)
BCHL

BCHL pushes back season start due to provincial health orders

The delay is minimal, just six days, for now. But the league is open to starting up after Christmas

BCHL
Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League has halted all games until further notice based on B.C. public health officer orders and information from B.C. Hockey. Pictured here, action between Nanaimo and Campbell River from last March. (News Bulletin file)

VIJHL hits pause on season due to COVID-19 orders

All games postponed beginning Nov. 21, says hockey league

Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League has halted all games until further notice based on B.C. public health officer orders and information from B.C. Hockey. Pictured here, action between Nanaimo and Campbell River from last March. (News Bulletin file)