The Airdrie Stars Athletic Association will be gearing up for a good cause over the next two weekends, with nearly 50 youth hockey teams taking the ice to raise money and donations for the Airdrie Food Bank.
The Airdrie Stars Hunger Games Tournament will take place in two phases. The first weekend of gameplay will start Friday, May 10 and continue throughout the weekend until Sunday. Last year was the first time the tournament had split play across two weekends, which according to tournament organizers, allows for the tournament to be held primarily in Airdrie.
"It definitely worked a bit better," said Jonah Cimolini, a Hunger Games organizer, remarking on the two-weekend plan. "In the past we had to go to Cochrane and different areas. Now we're able to keep it to Airdrie and north Calgary to keep it nice and close."
Players born from 2012-2017 will compete in the first weekend of tournament gameplay, with 2014, 2011, and 2010 born players competing over the May 24-26 weekend.
As per tournament rules, each team is guaranteed four games, with victors being decided on championship Sunday of each weekend. As the tournament is in support of the Airdrie Food Bank–with the proceeds raised from tournament registration, raffle, and silent auction sales going to benefit the Airdrie non-profit.
Cimolini said that the priority for the players is still to have fun.
"That's the main thing, we're more dedicated to having fun [and] raising money for the Food Bank than trying to promote winning,” Cimolini said.
Teams are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items that can be dropped off at donation locations at the Ron Ebbesen Arena and Genesis Place.
Indeed, winning will most likely still be top of mind for some teams. Cimolini said that winners of each age category will receive rings akin to the bling won by some professional teams, albeit much smaller.
"We've been looking forward to [this tournament],” Cimolini said. “We have a silent auction with a signed [Mikael] Backlund jersey this year, it'll all be on display at Genesis Place, with all of the proceeds going to the Food Bank."
Cimolini mentioned that the tournament is a competition in more than just the hockey sense. He has found that, oftentimes, the players are competing to raise goods and money for the Food Bank.
“Kids are more in competition for raising goods for the Food Bank. There is competition on and off the ice. They're in competition raising funds and they're obviously competing for hockey,” he said. "It's an Airdrie Stars hockey venture, with the added support for the Food Bank."
