The Frank Dymock Classic Tournament will be held in Wallaceburg and Walpole Island this weekend.
Tom Cogghe, convener of the tournament, said the lasting impact left by Dymock is still felt in Wallaceburg every hockey season, and each year during the annual tournament.
“This doesn’t change from year to year,” Cogghe said of Dymock.
“Going around and asking people from the community to help sponsor and donate… that has just been overwhelming. It kind of just shows and proves the fact that this is a worthwhile cause. Frank was such a big part of this community and you continues to be in spirit. I think it just solidifies the importance of what this tournament means and what it is for us to keep it going.”
Cogghe said the tournament has grown this year.
“Last year we had 18 teams. This year we decided to increase the division size by one including the novice group. So we have novice, atom, peewee and bantams. All tri-county house league level. We have managed to get 28 teams registered this year. Seven from Wallaceburg and 21 outside teams. We’re pretty excited about that.”
The Wallaceburg Hockey Mom’s will be handling much of the fundraising duties from Friday Feb. 12 to Sunday, Feb. 14.
“Over the weekend we have 50/50 draws, we have a raffle table, we have a bake sale,” Cogghe said.
“We have a separate stick draw this year. We managed to get about four hockey sticks that are signed by obviously Wallaceburg’s own, Seth Griffith, T.J. Brodie, Travis Konecny and we have a North Bay Battalion team stick.”
Cogghe there will be 58 total games this year, with 26 of them taking place at the Walpole Island Sports COmplex and the rest at Wallaceburg Memorial Arena.
Update are set to be posted to http://wallaceburghockey.com/ throuhgout the weekend.
Admission is free all weekend.
Dymock was a retired linesman with Ontario Hydro, but he is famous in Wallaceburg for being the go-to guy for skate sharpening for 50 plus years.
He died in December of 2013 at the age of 82.
