By Will MacLaren
Working with household can have its positives and negatives. Bruce and Curtis Hamilton are each fast to level that reality out. Nonetheless, when achieved amid the backdrop of certainly one of junior hockey’s most profitable franchises, and with the joy of a Memorial Cup on the horizon, daily for the father-son duo behind the Kelowna Rockets turns into not solely just a little extra thrilling however extra satisfying as nicely.
“I’m lucky sufficient to work with my dad daily,” says Curtis, the membership’s Basic Supervisor. “I like coming to work and doing this job right here. There’s not a day goes by while you’re not reminded of the Memorial Cup, which retains us motivated. We all know expectations are larger.”
The Rockets have set the benchmark for WHL golf equipment in the course of the twenty first century. Subsequent Might would be the membership’s sixth look on the Memorial Cup since making their match debut in 2003. This contains 5 appearances as WHL champions, berths within the match last in 2009 and 2015 and a nationwide title because the host membership in 2004.
Bruce Hamilton has been there for your entire journey. The 68-year-old based the franchise in 1991, relocating it from Tacoma to Kelowna 4 years later. He’s seen rather a lot over time, together with the seemingly meteoritic rise the Memorial Cup has taken for the reason that Rockets final hosted.
“I look again at that occasion, and it’s sort of egocentric, however we modified how Memorial Cups have been hosted,” Bruce recollects. “We made it an actual occasion across the total neighborhood. You’ve seen the match evolve consequently and I believe you’re going to see this yr’s match not being simply concerning the 6000 followers which might be capable of get into the constructing. It’s going to permit all of the residents on this space to have the ability to be a part of the Memorial Cup.”
Apart from the plain pressures all host golf equipment take care of, Kelowna enters this yr with extra elements creating what has been a difficult state of affairs. First, there was the 2020 match the Rockets have been speculated to host. That occasion was worn out by the COVID-19 pandemic and the following ramifications set the membership again considerably in what was already going to be a frightening rebuild. Final season, with key accidents and trades designed to put most deal with the present marketing campaign underscoring its methodology, the membership completed final within the Western Convention. Regardless of these tribulations, the guiding ideas of the membership stay clearly in focus.
“We as a corporation, led by Bruce, at all times have the expectation that we should always at all times be on this match,” Curtis factors out. “It’s not nearly being aggressive. It’s straightforward to say issues however when he says it, he means it. Nothing motivates him greater than successful. Having that on the prime of our group motivates everybody else to push that manner.”
Bruce Hamilton is fast to point out appreciation for his son’s development throughout the group. However he additionally has a message to strengthen.
“He’s been wonderful in that he’s gone out and realized the enterprise,” he explains. “He’s been out within the discipline scouting and studying that facet of issues first. He’s achieved a superb job of that. He’s very integral within the constructing of the staff and now he’s transferring extra into the enterprise facet of the group. He’s an enormous asset and he’s obtained a very good eye for expertise and is aware of what we have to add to our staff to make it Memorial Cup worthy.”
“Nonetheless, my mindset isn’t we’re not in it simply to be in in, we’re in it to win it,” he concludes.
Placing apart any potential roster strikes down the street, a number of key elements ought to assist propel the Rockets up the standings this yr. One is the hiring of Don Hay, the winner of 4 Memorial Cup titles throughout his time in Kamloops and Vancouver, as Head Coach. He’s joined behind the bench by 2004 champ and longtime NHLer Josh Georges, making his CHL teaching debut. As nicely, Utah Mammoth 2024 first rounder Tij Iginla has returned from a long-term hip damage that worn out the latter two thirds of his season final yr.
Off the ice, the town of Kelowna has partnered with the group to deliver a top-notch occasion to the neighborhood and the junior hockey world at giant. This contains $6 million {dollars} in area upgrades that displays Bruce Hamilton’s need to outdistance the competitors.
“We couldn’t do that with out the help of the town,” Bruce emphasizes. “They’ve actually helped with fan engagement and we’re actually lucky that they’re our companions on this. Their assets present a possibility to make this an even bigger and higher occasion.”
With a residing historical past of junior hockey success at his fingertips, Hamilton the youthful wants no extra motivation to deliver a second CHL Championship to Kelowna. “I’ve by no means been part of a staff that’s gone via one thing like this and gained,” Curtis explains. “I would like that have and I simply have to lean on everybody who has been via it and hold pushing us in that course. That’s the last word objective. I like hockey and I like being part of it. Being part of a successful staff, even in the event you don’t have skates on, means rather a lot.”
As for Bruce Hamilton, the mix of expertise and keenness is obvious in each phrase. It’s not arduous to grasp why so many level to this yr’s host membership as a mannequin of the trendy junior franchise.
“I like the problem of what we’re doing,” the elder Hamilton stresses. “I nonetheless get pleasure from coming in daily and I like the competitors. That’s why I’m nonetheless hanging round. When it’s not enjoyable anymore, that’s after I’ll transfer on.”
One factor’s for certain; he’s not going wherever till the Memorial Cup is handed out at his home subsequent Spring.
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