"As with any children's sports club, it is important to have new players joining the club each year," says Queenstown Ice Hockey League President Tania Pimm. For the QIHC, our U12 league is critical to the growth and development of the club and represents our largest group of kids on the ice. Getting the young players into the club feeds through to the next age groups of U15s and U18s, and giving opportunity for a team sport supports the ongoing development and wellbeing of our young people within the community. We are proud to have multiple generations of families involved in our club, which helps foster a real sense of community among all the families across all age groups.”
“In addition to weekly practice sessions, players have the opportunity to play in tournaments against other teams from around the region. The tournaments are a key part of a player’s progression as they get to put their training into practice and see other teams in action on the ice. These tournaments create a great sense of community as the kids get to interact with other hockey teams and families.“
QIHC President Tania Pimm
“Receiving grants for our junior leagues really benefits all the players on the ice, as it encourages ongoing participation in the sport, especially for those families that may have incurred difficulties and challenges over the last few years. It is with support like this that we can sustain successful growth in our club and introduce more families to the wonderful sport of ice hockey.”
“Our main expense for the club is the payment of ice time. We have one provider which is the Queenstown Ice Arena, and we need to work in with them in terms of times when we can practice, along with their hours available for public skating. Without the ice time we would not be able to practice which would obviously have an impact on the skills of the club members.”
“Ice hockey remains a niche sport in New Zealand and the equipment is very expensive. We strive to make this sport as cost effective as possible so it is not prohibitive for those that want to play. We have seen some of our best players included in the national ice hockey team and would like to show that there is a way forward for those that excel in the sport.”
Established in the 1990s, the Queenstown Ice Hockey Club is passionate about growing the ice hockey community and has over 250 families involved with the club each season. A dynamic team sport, ice hockey is not only super fun, but also provides a great social outlet for the players. It is an excellent method of improving fitness levels and supporting the wellbeing of all who engage in the sport.
Queenstown Ice Hockey Club (QIHC) received a grant of $5,000 from NZCT for the Junior League ice time.
For more info visit www.queenstownicehockey.co.nz.