Burnaby, B.C. – More than half of the 49 teams at the 2024 Pat Quinn Classic are from outside of the Lower Mainland, meaning long trips by planes, buses, cars and ferries to make sure they are a part of this annual end-of-the-year competition.
From Alaska to Burnaby, Hockey Club Fairbanks (Integrated U15 Flight 2) made the journey to get a taste of hockey in Canada. “We love it here,” says Michael Ricca, who is at the tournament cheering for his son Gilby. “The tournament is very awesome as we get to see different skill levels. It’s great to see different teams as we usually only play five teams in Alaska.” Ricca, who moved from New York City to the small city of North Pole, near Fairbanks, says the big difference in the Lower Mainland is the access to so many televised hockey games. “It’s hard to find a movie to watch down here,” he chuckles. While the hockey parents are enjoying being in an urban environment, he says this is a tournament, not a holiday. “We’re here on business, pretty much, but we’re enjoying meeting everyone.”
Right after a game against the Jr. Ducks from California, Gilby Ricca said he’s excited to be in what he calls a “tough” tournament. “It’s pretty nice, I love it. It’s pretty cool.”
“Travelling is part of the hockey life,” says Jason MacPherson, head coach of the Denver area Okanagan Hockey Colorado team (Integrated U15 Flight 1). “We travel quite a bit for tournaments. When you do tournaments away from home, it’s when these guys really bond,” he says. “It really makes a big difference in the team camaraderie and how they play on the ice.” He’s impressed with the Pat Quinn Classic saying “it’s been a ton of fun so far and a really good competition. We’ve met some great people and everyone has been super respectful.”
While the team is closer to the Lower Mainland, travelling by ferry for tournament games is a necessity for the Powell River U15 team (Integrated U15 Flight 2). “There’s only one way out and one way in, so we’re used to hitting the road. We have to go to where the games are,” explains head coach Scott Peters. This is his team’s first appearance at the Pat Quinn Classic. “It’s a real cool experience. The boys have had some fun and they’re working their hardest. It’s a good opportunity for them.” He appreciates the chance to be a part of the tournament named for Quinn. “He was a really good leader and it’s good to see the legacy.”
The 2024 Pat Quinn Classic features 49 teams in seven divisions:
- 23 from the Lower Mainland
- 10 from the rest of B.C.
- 16 from the United States
The divisions are:
- Female U13 Elite
- Female U15 Elite
- Integrated U13 Flight 1
- Integrated U15 Flight 1
- Integrated U15 Flight 2
- Integrated U17 Flight 1
- Integrated U17 Flight 2
The tournament runs from December 27 to 31 at venues in Burnaby, Delta and Surrey.
Backgrounder – The Pat Quinn Classic
The Burnaby Minor Hockey Association began hosting the annual December Bantam hockey tournament in 1962. It is now the longest-running event of its kind in the world. The tournament became the Pat Quinn Classic in 2015, named after the legendary player, coach, general manager and team owner. Pat Quinn is internationally-recognized as one of the hockey’s greatest coaches and ambassadors. Proceeds go to the Pat Quinn Scholarship Fund. Managed by Hockey Canada, the fund supports players in post-secondary education after their hockey careers. Quinn is one of the most recognizable faces in Canadian sport and has made an enormous contribution to sport in British Columbia and Canada.
The objective of the Pat Quinn Classic is to create a top international-calibre tournament in Western Canada to showcase local teams alongside some of the strongest programs in Canada, the U.S. and around the world. Organizers worked with the Quinn family to create a unique tournament that strikes the right balance between exciting hockey, skill and leadership development and community engagement. Pat motivated players at all levels to work hard on the ice and live with passion and integrity off the ice. The vision of this tournament exemplifies his love of hockey and his unwavering commitment to give back to the community.
MEDIA CONTACT
Samuel @ info@patquinnclassic.com