The Niverville High School Panthers have been accepted into the Winnipeg High School Hockey League for the 2024–25 season, marking the first time that Niverville will have a high school hockey team.
The process began in the previous school year, when administration from both the Hanover School Division and Niverville High School sent out a survey to the community to see whether there would be enough interest in starting up a program.
The result? Plenty of interest, and even more support.
In May, Niverville High School made a presentation at the Winnipeg High School Hockey League’s annual general meeting. The league approved Niverville’s proposal.
Now that the Panthers are an official member of the league, the team’s inaugural coach, Brandon Lockerby, is busily preparing for the start of play later this month.
“There has been a lot of excitement for the season to get going, not only for the players on the team, but students and staff at Niverville High School,” says Lockerby. “We have had one exhibition game at home so far and the turnout was great. We’re looking forward to playing home games to showcase the current roster, but also showcase an alternative for younger hockey players.”
Enough students signed up that the school had to hold tryouts in early October at the CRRC. So far the interest has been quite overwhelming. The school’s staff is thrilled to have taken this step into a new world of high school athletics.
The Panthers will face their first regular season opponent when they travel to the South Winnipeg Community Centre to take on Linden Christian. The puck will drop on Wednesday, October 16 at 4:30 p.m.
Their second bout will bring them to the Beausejour Sportplex where they go up against the Edward Schreyer Barons.
The team then comes home to the CRRC for the first time, opening versus the Glenlawn Lions. That home game lands on Tuesday, October 29 at 4:00 p.m. and all of Niverville is invited.
“Starting up a new program like this, there’s a lot that has gone into getting to day one on the ice,” says Will Cuccaro, the new team’s assistant coach.
Cuccaro is also a board member on the Niverville Nighthawks.
There are 24 regular season games on the team’s schedule for their first year in the WHSHL’s Price Division, including 12 home games. The games typically take place in the late afternoons on weekdays. All games have free admission.
There are 11 other teams in the division, including the Edward Schreyer Barons, Kildonan East Reivers, Lorette Scorpions, Louis-Riel Voyageurs, Pinawa Panthers, Powerview/Sagkeeng Wild, Warren Wildcats, Windsor Park Royals, Glenlawn Lions, Linden Christian, and Churchill.
“This was years in the making through school approvals and school positions being made so coaches could be brought in to do both jobs,” Cuccaro adds. “So a lot of work has gone into getting a high school hockey team in town. And now we’ve finally put a foot on the ice, which is great!”
In the future, there may also be opportunities for the Panthers to collaborate with the Nighthawks, since they share a home facility.
“It’s been a lot of work behind the scenes by many people to make this amazing opportunity possible for our students,” says Lockerby. “I’m looking forward to working with the other coaches and the players this season. With the group we have, we hope to establish a culture that will garner the interest of many up-and-coming hockey players at Niverville High School for years to come.”
Pita Pit Fundraisers
The team is partnering with the local Pita Pit for a monthly fundraiser for every month the team is on the ice.
For anyone who visits the Pita Pit in Niverville to purchase food or drink on these fundraising days, always on a Tuesday, and mentions that they’re there in support of Niverville High School’s new hockey team, the proceeds will go towards the program.
This month, the fundraiser will take place on October 29. Later in the season, the fundraisers fall on the following Tuesdays: November 26, December 17, January 21, February 25, and March 25.
