KENSINGTON – The 2018 edition of the Kensington, P.E.I.-Bedford, Que., Peewee Friendship Hockey Exchange will feature a new but familiar format.
“This year, we went with a tournament-style format,” explained Gary Gallant, co-chair of the Kensington parents organizing committee. “We invited the Kensington peewee (A) hockey team and Southside peewee team to play a couple of games. There is a Kensington team, a Bedford team and a mixed team (of Kensington and Bedford players).
“They will be playing all day Saturday, and in past years they only had one game on Saturday, and one game on Sunday.
“With it being the 50th year, we thought we would bring the tournament style back into play, and hopefully that’s what they’ll do into the future.”
For years, the exchange featured a four-team tournament, with two teams from other P.E.I. communities playing first, followed by the opening ceremonies featuring all teams and then the Kensington-Bedford game on Saturday night. The winning and losing teams would meet in the championship and consolation games Sunday afternoon.
The Bedford team competing in the first half of the 50th Kensington, P.E.I.-Bedford, Que., Peewee Friendship Hockey Exchange will arrive on P.E.I. Friday afternoon. Bedford team members are, front row, from left: Roy Peno III, Antoine Comeau, Maverick Monette, Adrian Garcia and Felix Lizotte. Second row: Zachari Grenier, Justin Emond, Benjamin Rioux, Leo Santerre, Tommy Galipeau, Tristan Gnocchini, Emeric Santerre, Cedric Guay, Andy Coupal and Trevor Monette (coach). Third row: Yves Gnocchini, Michel Paquette (head coach), Haley Monette, Lucas Gnocchini, Logan Gendreau, Kristopher Paquette, Emaly Ann Paquette, Dave Verville (coach) and Steven Paquette (coach).
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Anniversary
As part of the milestone year, three special events are part of the packed weekend agenda. A welcome kickoff banquet, which is sold out, is scheduled for Friday evening at the New London Community Complex.
“To me, that’s a statement in itself – if you have 300 people who want to go to a banquet and have a waiting list for tickets, that’s a testament of the success of the program,” said Wade Caseley, a member of the Kensington 50th anniversary steering committee. “Those people are not only former players, they are parents of players, they are former coaches and there are all kinds of people who are wanting to get out and support it.”
Another change this year is moving the Kensington-Bedford game into a more favourable time slot of 7 p.m. In recent years the game was played around suppertime and early evening.
However, with it back in a more favourable time slot this year, the Kensington-Bedford game is expected to draw a big crowd to Community Gardens.
“Years ago it would be nothing to have 500 or 700 people in to watch the Bedford game,” noted Caseley. “I think that will return this year.”
Click here for related story on peewee exchange about to make history:
Alumni game
An alumni game will follow the peewee contest, and Caseley expects each team to have between 15 and 20 skaters dressed from different eras.
“We are going to have a good mix of people,” said Caseley, who played in the 1981 and ’82 exchanges. “I think Ed Doucette from the original team will play, right on down to people who have played within the last eight years or so.”
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Parade
A first-time event is a parade of alumni on Sunday at noon, although participants are asked to meet at 11:30 a.m.
“We were trying to figure out a way we could get as many past participants out as possible,” offered Caseley. “We are going to start at Town Hall, and we are going to walk perhaps down Commercial Street, down Main Street down to the rink to be there in time for the Friendship game.
“Not that we expect hundreds of people to be out watching us, it was a way to try and get friends and teammates out to reunite old acquaintances. I’m sure there are lots of Kensington teammates who haven’t seen each other in 10, 15, 20 or 30 years. . . Theoretically, if you get 15 players per team for 50 years, there should be 700 to 800 alumni out.”
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Schedule
Following is a weekend schedule of events:
Friday, Jan. 26
2-3:30 p.m. – Bedford delegation arrives in Kensington for a meet and greet at Kensington Legion. Players will be introduced to their billet families.
6-9 p.m. – Kickoff banquet at New London Community Complex. Reception begins at 6 p.m., with meal served at 7 p.m.
9 p.m.-midnight – Entertainment at Kensington Legion.
Saturday, Jan. 27
8-11 a.m. – Alumni breakfast at Kensington Legion.
Jamboree
At Community Gardens:
10:40 a.m. – Kensington White vs. Mixed Red.
11:50 a.m. – Bedford Blue vs. Kensington Peewee A.
1 p.m. – Team Red vs. Southside.
2:10.m. – Team White vs. Team Blue.
3:20 p.m. – Team Red vs. Kensington Peewee A.
4:30 p.m. – Team White vs. Southside.
5:30 p.m. – Official photos at Community Gardens.
6 p.m. – Opening ceremonies at Community Gardens.
7 p.m. – Kensington vs. Bedford exchange game.
8:10 p.m. – Alumni game.
9 p.m.-midnight – Entertainment at Kensington Legion.
Sunday, Jan. 28
Noon – Participants, delegates and friends of the exchange will parade from Kensington Town Hall at noon to Community Gardens. Participants are asked to meet at 11:30 a.m.
1:50 p.m. – Friendship game between Kensington and Bedford.
6 p.m. – Closing social at Kensington Legion.
