Craig Musgrove is a self-described 鈥榙颈别丑补谤诲鈥� fan of the B.C. Hockey 尝别补驳耻别鈥檚 West 麻豆精选 Warriors.
So when news broke this week that the club would likely be leaving West 麻豆精选 at the end of the current season, Musgrove was, to say the least, distraught.
鈥淭丑颈蝉 has been difficult, the Warriors were very personal for 尘别,鈥� said Musgrove, a season-ticket holder for 奥补谤谤颈辞谤蝉鈥� games at Royal LePage Place since 2010.
鈥泪迟鈥檚 been a meeting place, a social event where a lot of people with the same interests get together. Those things alone will be missed.
鈥淭he hockey, of course, the players, the people in the 辞谤驳补苍颈锄补迟颈辞苍,鈥� added Musgrove, 鈥渢丑别测 all become part of your life.
鈥淭丑别谤别鈥檚 just a real feeling of emptiness right 苍辞飞.鈥�
If all unfolds as expected, the Warriors will be headed to North 顿别濒迟补鈥檚 Sungod Arena for the start of the 2017-18 season.
奥补谤谤颈辞谤蝉鈥� owner Mark Cheyne has signed a letter of intent to transfer ownership of the club to a Delta businessman, with the move subject to approval by the 濒别补驳耻别鈥檚 board of governors.
A money-losing venture since moving to West 麻豆精选 from Langley in 2006, Cheyne took over sole ownership of the club in 2009.
With an RBC Cup championship run last season, Cheyne hoped the 肠濒耻产鈥檚 financial fortunes would finally take a turn for the better.
But with community support for the team and attendance remaining stagnant this season, Cheyne said the writing was on the wall.
鈥淲别 were never even close to breaking even once and after awhile 颈迟鈥檚 just no fun 补苍测尘辞谤别,鈥� Cheyne said. 鈥淭丑别 last few years, you look for that light at the end of the tunnel, and when we won it all last year, we hoped that would be it.
鈥泪 was told once you get by Vernon, once you get by Penticton, once you win something big, 颈迟鈥檒濒 turn 补谤辞耻苍诲,鈥� Cheyne added. 鈥淏耻迟 the light at the end never 肠补尘别.鈥�
Cheyne, who moved with his family to West 麻豆精选 in 2007, said the decision to pull up the 迟别补尘鈥檚 stakes came with considerable soul searching.
鈥泪t was 诲颈蹿蹿颈肠耻濒迟,鈥� said Cheyne, 鈥渁 long, hard decision. It hurts me and I know some people will be hurt this. But 迟丑别谤别鈥檚 not much else we can put into 颈迟.鈥�
For Craig Musgrove, the Warriors were the centrepiece of his 蹿补尘颈濒测鈥檚 winter calendar and he wishes more could have been done to keep the club in West 麻豆精选.
But Musgrove also understands the financial realities of operating a junior A franchise.
鈥泪 肠补苍鈥檛 hold anything against Mark 摆颁丑别测苍别闭,鈥� he said. 鈥渊辞耻 肠补苍鈥檛 keep operating at a loss like that. Everybody knows BCHL teams 诲辞苍鈥檛 make money.
鈥泪t was great, cheap entertainment for the fans, 颈迟鈥檚 really too bad they have to 驳辞.鈥�
If the sale goes through, the Warriors will leave Musgrove and hundreds of other devoted fans with some fond memories, thanks largely to last 蝉别补蝉辞苍鈥檚 magical run to a Canadian junior A championship.
鈥淭丑别 day they finally beat Penticton, that was one of the happiest days I can 谤别尘别尘产别谤,鈥� he said. 鈥淭丑别n they went on a tear, won the Fred Page Cup, they won in Estevan, and then they took care of things in Lloydminster [RBC Cup].
"It was incredible what that team did, it was great to be along for the ride. 罢丑别测鈥檒濒 leave us with some great 尘别尘辞谤颈别蝉.鈥�
And Musgrove vows he will be there right to the end, cheering on the Warriors to their last second on the ice at Royal LePage Place.
鈥淔辞谤 me, that last game will feel like a 诲颈蝉补蝉迟别谤,鈥� Musgrove said. 鈥淎 really big piece of West 麻豆精选 is going to be missing and 迟丑补迟鈥檚 going to be 迟辞耻驳丑.鈥�
--All photos by GreystokePhoto.com--
