Creston Valley Thunder Cats president, Shannon Veitch, says hockey will continue to thrive despite being announced in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s (KIJHL) restructure to a Junior A Tier 2 competition for the 2026/27 season.
“It will definitely be a change to have our league split to a two-tiered system.” said Veitch.
“Its all new to everyone, but I guess I just want to really reiterate that the Creston Valley Thunder Cats always are striving to create quality junior hockey in the Creston Valley and provide a top-notch program within junior hockey.”
“The Creston Valley Thunder Cats would have liked to have landed in that initial top tier for tier one, but the fact remains that the Creston Valley Thunder Cats are in the group that has the ability to be reassessed and perhaps look at moving forward to the tier one status also for the 26-27 season.”
Veitch confirms the club will be looking for reassessment, and while future recruitment may be impacted, Creston has a lot to offer.
“We have a beautiful facility that we play in, we have the best billet families in the league. We have a lot of draw to come to Creston and one thing that Coach Geordie Wudrick and I have been speaking about is the fact that you can develop players at all levels.”
“If worst case scenario did occur and we did end up remaining in the tier two level, it’s the ability to have a very strong chance to be one of the top teams in that tier. So, there’s pros and cons to both, but we have an excellent head coach and general manager, and I think that there will be a lot to attract quality players to Creston.”
Creston finished off their 2024/25 season bowing out to the Kimberley Dynamiters in the first round of playoffs. Not a bad result says Veitch as the club moved through a bug rebuilding year.
“We had a brand-new head coach and general manager, a brand new assistant coach and lots of brand new players.”
“So, although this wasn’t the best timing for us for this to occur because it was such a big rebuilding year, we’ve got a lot of returning players coming back for the 25-26 season. And I think that will reflect well on us also.”
Veitch says fans continue to reach out with concerns for the move ahead, however, she wants to reassure the community Creston will always be proud of their hockey.
“We’re the only junior hockey in the area, and I don’t believe that we, regardless of what happens, I think we’ll keep our fan base.”
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