PREECEVILLE - The senior Preeceville Pats hockey team is making a comeback after an 18-year absence, much to the excitement of the community and surrounding communities. The team will join the Sask. East Hockey League battling projected teams including: Theodore, Canora, Swan Valley, Grandview, Cote, Rocanville, Wapella, Ituna and Whitewood.
Preeceville originally hosted a good senior hockey team during the 1930s with all hockey played on an open air rink. With no car roads, most travel was by train or teams of horses and the team would travel to Hudson Bay, Canora, Yorkton, Stenen, Sturgis, Swan River and Invermay for games, stated the Preeceville history book.
Throughout the years of the senior Preeceville Pats in action, they won the Fishing Lake Hockey League title in 1994-95 and then again in the 1999-2000 season. They have had a variety of players and coaches, including first coach Dave Zacher, followed by coaches Bob Giles, Cory Gulka, Cory Babiuk and ending with Cal Homeniuk.
“It was great time and all started when the midget team players aged out and wanted to continue playing hockey,” said Wilf Zuk, who was one of the first managers for the team.
Wes Jaeb, one of the players, added “Playing hockey with a great bunch of guys and coaching staff was great. It brought out the best in all players and the communities.”
The Pats current executive and staff will be: Jesse Nelson, coach and president; Dreyton Paul, vice-president; Jamie Leason, secretary and marketing, social media coordinator; members-at-large- Eric Drader, Greg Olson, James Bodnar, Lindsey Bashforth and Reece Gulka; Corianne Metherell, trainer and Tracy Karcha, volunteer co-ordinator. The team is still looking for assistant coaches, a kitchen co-ordinator and a team manager.
