Photo Credit Jagraj Lalli
The Coquitlam Express hosted its Annual School Day Game on Wednesday, joined by an audience of over 2000 students from 13 different schools.
The event is only the second post-COVID game which to no surprise was highlighted by students singing, dancing and cheering that had an an atmosphere that went above and beyond that of typical hockey game experience.
Tali Campbell, General Manager of the Coquitlam Express, talked about the significance of the day for the children.
“They could all come together for the purpose of cheering and watching a day filled with excitement supplied by a BCHL hockey team,
Regardless if you are cheering for the Coquitlam Express or the Chilliwack Chiefs or the school day game in general everyone’s here to celebrate the community and the players who are trying to achieve their dreams of possibly making a Division 1 scholarship in the National Hockey League.”
The game, featuring the Express against the Chiefs, was live streamed with the Play by Play courtesy of Ian Wilson who also works along side Steve Erickson for the PJHL Richmond Sockeyes.
The U18 Coquitlam Hockey Club, a team in the Junior Prospects Hockey League operating under the Express, played a big role in engaging the crowd during media timeouts, distributing t-shirts, and assisting in guiding students to their seats.
Reflecting on the challenges of organizing such a large-scale event wasn’t something that came together overnight that took long tedious hours of preparation by many individuals.
Coquitlam Express GM Tali Campbell mentioned “It’s always an exciting day for us holding our annual school game where we welcome over 2000 students. So it’s a little bit chaotic.”
He continued “Obviously, we use all of our staff and volunteers to make it run smoothly. But it’s always a fun atmosphere here at the train station.”
The students actively participated in the event, showcasing their enthusiasm through the coordinated singing of the national anthem and dancing on the arena screen.
Reflecting on the success of this year’s event, Campbell expressed hope that this tradition will continue for many seasons to come.
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