CRFMHA wins BC Hockey Minor Hockey Association of the Year 2022-23

CRFMHA selected as recipient of BC Hockey’s Frank Spring Award 

All-female hockey organization is named “Minor Hockey Association of the Year” 

Penticton, BC (June 10, 2023) - At the annual BC Hockey Congress in Penticton, Capital Region Female Minor Hockey Association (CRFMHA) was honoured with the Frank Spring Award as “Minor Hockey Association of the Year” in BC.  The award is presented annually by BC Hockey to the minor hockey association (MHA) judged to have made an outstanding contribution to its community by providing a properly organized program where a youngster can learn the basic skills and the fundamentals of good hockey.

CRFMHA has a volunteer Board of Directors and over 150 additional volunteers working with 20 “Victoria Reign” teams from U7 to U21.  During the 2022-2023 hockey season, CRFMHA registered more players than ever before and has grown by 49% since the pandemic.  It hosted the NHL/NHLPA First Shift and two 6-week Esso Fun Day programs, introducing over 100 girls to the game for the first time. CRFMHA teams won 7 tournaments and the U18-A team advanced to the gold medal game of the provincial championships, taking home the silver medal!  This season saw significant advances in female referee development such that 93% of home games featured an all-female officiating crew by the end of the season.  

Eight CRFMHA teams participated in the Orange Jersey Project, educating today’s young athletes about the history of the Indian Residential School System and strengthening the path toward truth and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

“Capital Region Female Minor Hockey Association is a very deserving recipient of this year’s Frank Spring – Minor Hockey Association of the Year Award,” BC Hockey Director Haleigh Callison said. “In just their fourth season, the association has quickly grown into one of the largest female minor hockey associations in the province, and is surrounded by many dedicated volunteers who help make Capital Region a worthy recipient of this honour.”

There are 123 MHAs in BC.  The award is named in honor of Frank Spring (Cranbrook), a past-president of BC Hockey from 1974-1977 and a life-member, who was awarded its “Diamond Stick” Award in 1978.