Over the course of the 2013-14 AJHL season I set, and achieved, the goal of attending a game in every team’s home building. Not because I love any specific team (although I’ve adopted the Sherwood Park Crusaders), not because I knew anyone playing in the league (although I’ve adopted a Cru defenseman as a favorite player), and not because I can’t afford to go to more prestigious hockey games (tier 1 fan). I decided to do this because I randomly had a couple really good AJHL experiences last season and because I needed a hobby this winter. Something combining my love of travel, driving, hockey, and arbitrary goals gave birth to perhaps the dumbest and coolest thing I’ve ever done.
The back story: Thanks to the NHL lockout during the 2012-13 season I was forced go elsewhere to get my winter hockey fix. Like many forlorn people in Edmonton I sought refuge with the Oil Kings. Unfortunately I found the games boring, due mostly to the antiseptic arena experience. Squeezing 7,000 people into an arena meant for 16,000 just sucks the life out of the place. The only game I enjoyed there was the Eastern Conference clinching game – there was an electric crowd that night and antsy anticipation in the air. Unfortunately that’s a really high bar to clear for an average game and a big reason why I haven’t been to a single Oil Kings game this season. As a control for my “Rexall is a boring place to watch WHL hockey theory”, I went to a game in Red Deer and loved it. I’m just assuming I’m right about this from now on.
With the top two leagues scratched off my to-do list, I found myself in Drayton Valley for a game against Whitecourt one Saturday night in January 2013. Why was I in Drayton Valley? Because of an unrelated road trip to Bonnyville the weekend before. Obviously. Rest assured, there will be no good answers to why I did any of this at any point in the post. This game had everything you could want in a hockey experience. I sat 4 rows from the ice and I could hear the fans, players, coaches, and refs yell at each other. Tickets were 12 bucks, beer was $5, the arena was cold and smelled like stale sweat, and the hockey was absolutely fantastic. Keep in mind, I had no idea if I was watching the best two teams or the worst. I just knew I was getting really entertaining hockey with a really good atmosphere for almost no money. I fell in love. Over the rest of the season I saw a few games in DV, Sherwood Park, and Spruce Grove and decided (Pinky and The Brain) style what I was going to do next winter – travel the province watching AJHL hockey – and try to [s]take over[/s] OWN THIS WORLD!
As it happens, I picked a damn good year to be a helicopter AJHL fan. I got to watch the Brooks Bandits raise a National Championship banner at their home opener and got blown away by their arena. I got to sit in the VIP section for a Lloydminster game during Hockey Day in Canada. I got to watch a game between Spruce Grove and Fort McMurray at a time when they were ranked number 1 and 2 in the country – I think 4 teams were ranked in the top 10 and 2 were honorably mentioned at various points this season. I got to meet Mantracker in Okotoks, which makes total sense. I got to watch a game in Canmore the night before being the drunkest man at a televised curling event where no open liquor was allowed (sorry TSN). At some point I’ll post some AJHL awards (best anthem, best arena, best game day experience, worst seats, maybe a logo power ranking, etc etc). Overall I went to 28 games. Google estimates I drove approximately 8763 kilometers (it was much more than this) while pursuing a goal no one cares about, and who knows how much I spent in gas, tickets, food, and 50/50 draws
(zero wins). But it was worth it. I set a goal and achieved it. Moreover, I really enjoyed the process of planning it out and going to all the games (except the Calgary games – those were awful). I enjoyed talking to people around the province and trying to explain to co-workers why the hell I was taking a Friday off in December to go to…. Grande Prairie to… watch hockey? I fought through snow storms, fatigue, gluten free pizza, a broken starter, a family tragedy, shitty tires, and a check engine light that came on driving from Drumheller the coldest night of the year after I felt my hand starting to freeze to the gas pump. Through all of that I really enjoy that I did something that I doubt any fans have ever bothered to do, and something I didn’t think I had the wherewithal to complete.
The alternative would have been to drive from Anchorage, Alaska to Mexico City and back. I may have seen more sight, but way less hockey.
Hope this helps 🙂
Sep 13: Dragons 1 @ Bandits 5
Sep 26: Oilers 3 @ Saints 2 (showcase)
Sep 26: Thunder 3 @ Kodiaks 2 (ot) (showcases)
Oct 20: Eagles 2 @ Wolverines 3
Oct 27: Bandits 1 @ Kodiaks 4
Dec 1: Dragons 4 @ Thunder 2
Dec 8: Wolverwines 6 @ Storm 3
Nov 5: Kodiaks 1 @ Grizzlies 2 (ot)
Dec 14: Eagles 5 @ Cru 7
Dec 20: Oil Barons 4 @ Cru 2
Jan 24: Oil Barons 3 @ Saints 1
Jan 10: Thunder 3 @ Eagles 4
Jan 3: Thunder 2 @ Pontiacs 6
Jan 18: Cru 0 @ Bobcats 3
Jan 19: Dragons 10 @ Canucks 3
Jan 19: Pontiacs 3 @ Mustangs 5
Feb 7: Cru 4 @ Oil Barons 3
Feb 8: Cru 0 @ Oil Barons 3
Feb 22: Mustangs 1 @ Oilers 5
Mar 1: Kodiaks 0 @ Dragons 5
Mar 15: Cru 2 @ Saints 1 (ot) G2
Mar 17: Saints 3 @ Cru 2 G3
Mar 18 Oil Barons 4 @ Bobcats 3 G4
Mar 19: Saints 4 @ 3 Cru G4
Mar 21: Cru 5 @ Saints 4 (2ot) G5
Mar 23: Saints 5 @ Cru 3 G6
Mar 25: Cru 5 @ Saints 2 G7
Apr 8: Oil Barons 2 @ Saints 4 (ot) G7
You must be logged in to post a comment.