Amidst league-wide shakeups and relocation announcements, the Princeton Posse have remained a Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) constant over the last 22 years.
Before Princeton familiarized itself with the Posse, the franchise resided in the North Okanagan from 1993 to 2001 and was known as the "Kings."
Junior hockey roared into the Similkameen ahead of the 2002-2003 KIJHL season when the Enderby-based Kings relocated to Princeton and became the Posse.
"The Posse have been a great addition to our community," said Princeton Mayor Spencer Coyne. "They've been great for community spirit, and all around, it's just been an amazing experience for Princeton."
Coyne was first elected as a town councillor in 2004, two years after Princeton got its very own junior hockey franchise.
An avid hockey fan himself, the now-mayor recalls watching the community fall in love with the Posse almost instantly.
"In those early years, we had a good solid lineup of kids (on the ice) and it really brought the community to buy into the idea of the team," Coyne said, adding that the franchise transitioned from being a private entity to a community-owned team within the first two years of coming to Princeton.
"They went from being a corporation to being our team, and they've stayed our team since then," the mayor said.
A perineal playoff contender since it moved to Princeton, the franchise has also taken pride in recruiting local talent. The club has made the KIJHL playoffs 15 times in 21 seasons in the Similkameen.
Coyne credits the Posse's grassroots approach for helping make the 50-year-old Princeton & District Arena "the heartbeat of our community."
"It's the place you go on a Friday or Saturday night for a game, and the place is crowded," said Coyne, who once worked at the rink as an ice attendant. "It's definitely a big part of the community."
As the Posse continue to thrive in Princeton, other nearby communities have watched their KIJHL franchises move away.
Summerland, for instance, said goodbye to the Steam in 2024 as the team relocated to Williams Lake. Penticton also had a KIJHL team until the Lakers moved to 100 Mile House and became the Wranglers in 2013.
Coyne, who's dawned his beloved Posse jersey at multiple public appearances over the years, says he's thrilled that Princeton's junior club continues to play a vital role in the community.
"It's given a lot of kids an opportunity to play junior hockey, which otherwise wouldn't have happened," the mayor said.
