The Port Coquitlam Midget A1 Team captured the New Westminster Herb House Tournament Championship in December on their way to playing in their home ice for the Provincial Tournament from March 19 to 23. (Courtesy of Port Coquitlam Minor Hockey Association)     

Once the calendar turns to March, most Minor Hockey Leagues are preparing for their League Tournaments. In British Columbia, Provincial tournaments are beginning mid-March and wrapping up in the final weekend of March. For the Port Coquitlam Minor Hockey Association, hosting a Provincial Tournament is a long time coming. 

Port Coquitlam Pirates Minor Hockey will be hosting the Midget Tier 2 Provincial Championship from March 19 to 23 at the Port Coquitlam Wilson Centre Arena. This will be the very first time Port Coquitlam Minor Hockey will be hosting the Midget Provincials and Port Coquitlam Minor Hockey Association President Kim Egli is looking forward to welcoming guests to the city of Port Coquitlam.

"This is our first opportunity to host Midget Provincials in our 50 years of existence as a minor hockey association," Egli said, "It will create some wonderful memories and experiences for many youth from our Provincial communities."

Teams from across British Columbia will be battling it out for provincial bragging rights, but the champions and participating teams are not the only ones who will be benefitting from the event.

"The tournament will bring many benefits to our association, teams, local economy and businesses," Egli said, "Seven teams from all corners of our province will be here competing for the championship prize and we are excited for the competition to begin."

The tournament will be held at the Wilson Centre in Port Coquitlam inside the Port Coquitlam Recreation Complex. It is a city-owned complex that was renovated and expanded in 1999. The complex includes two sheets of ice, a large multi-purpose hall, a meeting room, eight large dressing rooms, a skate shop, and concessions.

Port Coquitlam is located 27 kilometres east of Vancouver and is bounded on the South by the Mighty Fraser River, on the East by the Pitt River, West by the Coquitlam River and by the Coastal Mountains to the North. Tournament organizers have heavily relied on the community and its local business to help finance the event.

"A tournament of this size cannot be successful without the financial support from the local business community," Egli said. "Our volunteers commit their time and energy in making our tournament one of the premier events in minor hockey."

The tournament also marks only the second time in the history of Port Coquitlam Minor Hockey that one of their own teams will be participating in Provincials. The Midget A1 team is only second to the Juvenile A1 team to participate, which was a qualifying participant three seasons ago during the 2014-15 season.

While the participants will be headed to Port Coquitlam in about three weeks, preparations are well underway and there is no doubt Egli and the Port Coquitlam Minor Hockey Association will make sure there is not another 50-year wait for their next Provincial Tournament hosting gig.