Despite his team’s last-place finish in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, the coach of the Summerland Steam is pleased with the team’s performance.
Coach Gregg Wilson said the team is in the toughest division in the Junior B hockey league.
Despite this, many of the games have been close, with some overtime losses.
“We play a good brand of hockey,” he said. “We’ve deserved a lot more wins than we’ve had.”
The team, in its first season, has more local players than any other team in the league.
Several Steam players have been outstanding this season.
Colin Minardi, 20, was recently traded to the Victoria Cougars, another Junior B team.
Minardi, from Summerland, had been captain of the Steam.
Wilson said other Summerland and Penticton players have been shining.
They include Doug Chadwick, Jordan McCallum, Jerry Hol, Nelson Bowman, Kendall Wilson, Taylor Spankie, Dylan Burton and Josh DaCosta.
“Our leaders are all from Summerland and Penticton.” Wilson said.
“We’re trying to keep it as local as we can.”
The Steam’s record this year is 13 wins, 32 losses and two overtime losses.
This puts Summerland in the last place in the Okanagan/Shuswap Conference, Okanagan Division of the league.