Claresholm Under-9 hockey tournament lights up the arena

By Rob Vogt

Hockey teams from across Southern Alberta descended on the Claresholm Arena for a tournament this past weekend hosted by the Claresholm Under-9 Thunder.
The Thunder hosted two teams from Coaldale; two teams from Airdrie; Foothills; and Lethbridge.
The focus in U-9 hockey is learning the game so the hockey was four-on-four with a goalie and two 24-minute periods; continuous play with a buzzer to indicate line changes; no score being kept; and only using a portion of the entire ice surface.
This year’s Under-9 Thunder is made up of:

3, Tegan Riley.
4, Eden Blake.
7, Canyon Slade.
8, Raiden Dunlop.
9, Ewen Holtz.
10, Ethan Loeffler.
11, Lukas Chaykowski.
12, Riggs Loudon.
14, Emett Preachuk.
15, Corbin Moyer.
17, Wilder Kornfeld.
18, Delta Heggie.
20, Boyd Clydesdale.

The head coach is Tim Heggie; the assistant coaches are Chuck Loeffler, Dan Blake, Brad Holtz, and Mike Chaykowski, and the manager is Catherine Chaykowski.
The Under-9 Thunder dedicated the tournament to the memory of #16 Callum Leeds, their friend and teammate.
Callum’s first year of hockey was a testament to his dedication, and he was proud to receive the Heart-and-Hustle Award at the end of season tournament.
Claresholm Minor Hockey now presents the “Live Like Callum Award” at the end of each season during their awards dinner.
This award celebrates the qualities Callum embodied – his playful energy, unwavering determination, and love for being a true team player. It serves as a reminder to always strive to be your best and contribute to the team.