Story by:CrestonValleyThunder Cats

The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s mission statement is “working together to promote hockey excellence, education and life skills” and, as such, it is considered one of the best junior B leagues inCanada.

As a developmental league we often see a player for one or two seasons and then he moves on to other teams or ages out (turns 20) and carries on in life with post-secondary schooling or joins the workforce.

Quite often people wonder “where did so and so go?” or “what is so and so doing?” Many people in the hockey community have lasting connections with former members of the Creston Valley Thunder Cats (especially the coaching staff and billet families).

I thought this month I would let you know where some of our former players (in alphabetical order) are currently playing (with birth year, seasons in Creston and current junior A team):

Dane Birks (1995, 2011-12, Merritt Centennials, B.C. Hockey League).

Brandon Formosa (1993, 2010-12, Melfort Mustangs,SaskatchewanJunior Hockey League).

Mitchell Hewson (1993, 2010-11, La Ronge Ice Wolves, SJHL).

ChadKatunar (1993, 2009-10,PentictonVees, BCHL).

Blake Kirkham (1993, 2007-10, Dauphin Kings, MJHL).

Sean Maktaak (1993, 2008-10, Merritt).

Skylar Pacheco (1994, 2010-11, Prince George Spruce Kings, BCHL).

Brandon Parrone (1993, 2010-11, Melfort).

As you can see, players who have played in Creston do move on to higher levels of hockey. The Thunder Cats organization is proud of the program it has developed (and continues to develop).

Many former players have gone on to college hockey as well, like last year’s team captain, Scott Swiston (2009-12), who’s playing for the Selkirk College Saints in Castlegar.

Other players have gone on to play senior AA men’s hockey. Former goaltender Wade Waters (2006-09) is playing for the Stony Plain Eagles of the Chinook Hockey League inAlberta.

Hockey runs in the blood of players, young and old, whether they are playing competitively or just for fun. In the words of today’s players they are “living the dream,” and some of those dreams started in theCrestonValley.

(Check for game updates and schedules at www.crestonvalleythundercats.com.)