The newest entry in the Alberta Midget “AAA' Hockey League is taking shape. Set to open its inaugural season the Okotoks organization has announced its title sponsor, name and head coach in advance of the 2017-18 season in the AMHL.
The newest entry in the Alberta Midget “AAA' Hockey League is taking shape.
Set to open its inaugural season the Okotoks organization has announced its title sponsor, name and head coach in advance of the 2017-18 season in the AMHL.
“Approximately three years ago the OOAA board saw a need for an evolution in our programming,” said Travis Thiessen, the Okotoks Oilers Athletic Association's Foothills AAA director. “Fast forward to today and the hard work of a group of board members led by Randy Partaker has paid dividends. It has been a long-time coming.”
Okotoks, previously part of the Foothills CFR Chemicals Bisons draw zone based out of Strathmore, was awarded its own draw zone in March as a result of Hockey Alberta restructuring the zone into two. The Bisons will now play out of Airdrie.
“The stats show that our new draw zone has the quality of players to succeed in the AMHL,” Thiessen said. “The success of our feeder teams show that this compete will continue exponentially year after year.”
The team will go by the Okotoks Bow Mark Oilers name after the established local company signed on as the title sponsor of the squad.
“We've been involved in sports since my dad started the company,” said Bow Mark president Sean McArthur. “We've been supporting the Oilers when they were way back the first team. It's just something that's progressed, we've grown larger and this is kind of a help to bring this to our community.”
McArthur, deeply involved in the hockey community, knows what a Midget AAA team in Okotoks will mean for high-level athletes on the ice going forward.
“I've watched a lot of boys not play on elite teams because they don't want to travel away and miss school or graduating with their friends,” he said. “It's something we really felt we needed to for our community. It's great I'm able to be a part of it.”
The sponsorship, a three-year contract, gives the new squad flexibility with regards to its financial situation.
“It's a pay to pay league and it just keeps those costs in check for those families who are maybe a little borderline to have a player there,” said Partaker, the OOAA's director of long-term planning. “We're trying to do that right across the board. We don't want a program where we have kids who can't afford to be here or afford to play on this team.”
Okotoks also announced its head coach for its three AAA male hockey teams.
Kevin Willison will be the first head coach in the history of the Bow Mark Oilers. The St. Louis Blues draft pick enjoyed a long career in the professional ranks before switching to coaching.
Most recently he was bench boss of the BCHL's Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
The Rockyview M-15 Raiders added Ken Plaquin, also with considerable experience in pro hockey and on the bench at the Midget and Bantam AAA level, as its new head coach.
Elsewhere, the Okotoks Bantam AAA Oilers —known as the Rocky Mountain Raiders for the past four seasons — will have Mike Glawson lead the bench this season.
Glawson led the Okotoks Bantam AA Oilers to the league and provincial double during the 2016-17 season.
For more information go to ooaaoilerhockey.com
