South Delta may have come away the winner at last weekend’s Sunshine Coast Winter Classic Peewee C hockey tournament, but the appearance of a special fan imbued the entire three-day competition with celebratory spirit.
The tournament, held Friday, Oct. 19 to Sunday, Oct. 21 at the arenas in Sechelt and Gibsons, is the first of three annual fundraising tournaments for the Sunshine Coast Blues Minor Hockey Association.
“It was great. It was all very smooth, and we had lots of volunteers,” said first-time organizer Melissa Tripp. She said 10 teams – about 160 players – registered for the tournament. Funds from registration, 50-50 draws and raffle baskets raise thousands of dollars for the association. “It’s a lot of effort to put it on for sure, but the kids have fun,” Tripp said.
South Delta squared off against Semiahmoo from Surrey, which came in second. North Vancouver took home bronze after beating Abbotsford in the consolation game.
Tripp wasn’t able to provide an estimate for the crowd, but said one supporter stood out from the rest. Steven Guinther-Plank, known by hockey enthusiasts throughout the Lower Mainland as ‘Super Fan Steve,’ was a surprise and welcome guest at the tournament, Tripp said.
“He has quite a big following in the hockey world,” she said, adding that attendees were excited to discover he’d dropped in to cheer at both arenas for several teams. “He gets the roster from managers, and cheers for each kid and knows their numbers and cheers for the refs,” she said.
The association provided the tournament’s biggest fan with Blues paraphernalia to thank him for his support.
