Merritt Centennials are a true community effort

MARIUS AUER HERALD EDITOR

the sport that was previously very, very well hidden. I don’t know that I’d consider myself a fan of hockey, but watching the Cents on their winding path through a disappointing but promising season confirmed to me that I am indeed a fan of local hockey.

Despite the 28-1 pounding the heavily injured Cents roster took between the last two games of the season, the support of the fans (some of whom have been cheering on the team three times as long as the average age of a Cents player) never wavered. For the season finale against the Vernon Vipers, fans bought 50/50 tickets and placed their bids on sports memorabilia supporting the community owned team with the same passion of a fan whose team was going to the playoffs at the top of the league’s standings.

Merritt loves the Centennials – and the players clearly love it right back. All year, I saw players engaging with the community they called home for the season, through volunteerism and other means. This season’s Cents ros- ter supported flood recovery efforts, showed up for community events, and engaged with young athletes and students throughout the Nicola Valley. The best part is, they aren’t the first, and they won’t be the last. The team supports this community – and this community supports the team.

Donations, billet families, countless volunteer hours, a dedicated staff, and a number of other details all work together to ensure the success of the Merritt Centennials, regardless of the record the team posts that season. The Cents are one of a kind, a true community owned triumph that has survived anything thrown at it. Here’s to fifty more seasons.