For 23 years I played hockey with the K-W Old-timers. I was with the original six teams in their second year in 1981. In 2003, I semi-retired and wondered about not going out to play night-time hockey, followed by chicken wings and beer after most games. I decided to look into starting a daytime hockey group

In March 2004, David Henry and I recruited players from the K-W Old-timers league at their season closing party at RIM. We nearly got thrown out with the player list we were making up. David Henry, Art Weis, and Garnet Foster were a big help in recruiting 22 plus players over the next few months. When I approached the City of Waterloo for 2 hours of weekly daytime ice time they called me into a meeting at city hall with 8 people. They wanted me to start a senior men’s league at RIM. RIM was after us to play there and they supplied two sets of sweaters for our first year. Howie Dietrich of Waterloo was also after me to help him form a daytime men’s
league in Waterloo. We choose to play at the WMRC as being a more central location and a great facility with dressing rooms to accommodate 2 teams together.

 

Initially we had one group making up two teams playing at 9:30 AM on Tuesday and Friday at the WMRC starting in September 2004.

In September 2005, along with the big support of Dennis Robinson who brought in his group that was then playing Friday afternoons in the old Ktichener annex, we added a second group to form two additional teams We then changed to playing three days a week on Monday Wednesday and Friday at 9AM and 10 AM at the WMRC. Dennis was a great help in organizing
our new groups and bringing on new players over the years. The 10 AM group is now run by Player Manager __________________

 

In our second year we got our own sweaters and socks for our 9AM and 10 AM groups, provided by our generous sponsors with no cost to our players. Initially we were known as the Polish League and I was going to order red and white sweaters sporting the Polish White Eagle. As an alternative, the best name I could come up with at that time was the K-W Daytimers Hockey Club. The reason we have different colour sweaters for each of our groups is that in our early years we played crossover games once a year. E.G the Black 9 AM team played the Blue 10 AM team and the White 8 AM team played the Red 10 AM team. Over two weeks all the teams played against each other .

 

Word got out about our K-W Daytimers and I was getting more and more telephone calls and emails from hockey guys who wanted to play daytime hockey . We added another group in September 2007 to play at 8 AM on M-W-F at the WMRC managed by Mike Lehman and others and now for many years by Mike Campbell and Ron Rockel.

Our next new group formed in 2011 was managed by Terry Manske to play at 9AM on Tuesday at Albert McCormick rink and 9 AM on Thursday at the WMRC. Now managed by Rick Kressler.

 

Our next group was added in 2015 to play at 11 AM on M=W=F at the WMRC. Bob Ellsworth was our initial Player Manager and a big help in getting this group started. Dave Hare took over later as Player Manager and developed an extensive software program to manage this group. They are now managed by Hugh Craigen.

Our Hockey Club was growing and in 20__, I took up Bob Weber’s offer to take over as Treasurer. Bob was a CFO of a large local company and now retired and looking for something to do. He did a great job managing our financials and annual budget which has grown well in access of $75,000. Bob Weber retired from hockey in 2022 and Brian Henry is now doing a great job as our Treasurer. The City of Waterloo loves our financial contribution and our community action offering hockey and recreation to senior men. Well, not all are seniors yet.

For many years all our ice time was booked in my name . As we grew in size and number of players along with the responsibility to look after everyone and our growing budget, in November 2016 we incorporated and became the K-W Daytimers Hockey Club Inc.

 

Larry Richardson, somewhat retired lawyer, led and advised us in forming our incorporation. He is now our Secretary and I must say he keep us honest and in good legal form with our director meetings etc.

Still growing and getting inquiries from many of our pool players to start another group. In September 2018 under the management of Bob Hicks we started our 10 AM Tuesday=Thursday group. We now have 150 regular players plus another 50 active pool players.

 

About 10 years ago I was approached by the K-W Old-timers to consider merging with them. They have a great league, very well run and fun to play in. I told them they would have to change their culture to suit ours. They play about 45 games a season. They are a 45 minute timed games with three lines and referees, meaning you have about 12 minutes of ice time and often later in the evening. We play a 50 minute game with no referees and two lines, so you get 25 minutes of ice time and in the morning. Our MWF groups play 78 games and our Tue/Thur groups play 52 games. Plus our per game cost is about ½ the price of the night league. Plus we have a co-insurance program in place to provide refunds to injured or ill players. All the captains and player managers do a very conscientious job in managing their group of players to ice 20 players and 2 goalies for each game. The other major difference is that we do not shuffle the players each season. Your group remains with the same guys each season and the comradery that has developed with each group is a major enjoyment of our daytimers hockey. Our social committee offers an annual Christmas lunch with keynote speakers and a May golf day where we all get together and trade great hockey stories. As an added thought,
the K-W Oldtimers my be known as the beer and chicken wing gang, we are known as the coffee and muffin gang.

 

In 2014, we were honoured by the City of Kitchner, Mayor Carl Zehr at a Salute to Seniors, in recognition of our participation and involvement in our community. In 2017, we were honoured by Waterloo Mayor, Dave Jawosky in recognition of our volunteer work in the community with the K-W Daytmers Hockey Club Inc. The Rotary Club of Ktichener-Conestoga and House of friendship has thanked us for our participation in their Christmas Hamper Project over several years.

 

As I mentioned, I must compliment all of our player captains and player managers who do a great job in organizing all our games. It is quite unique as they do their best to have 22 players on the ice for each game, plus manage and invite our pool players out to play. I am sure there are many stories to tell from each of our 6 groups about dressing room chirpings, social gatherings and community service such as working together at the Food Bank.

After 16 th years as president I retired and I must say I have been well rewarded for my efforts, as I most enjoy seeing all of you playing and enjoying our daytimer hockey.

 

At this time I would like John Thompson who followed me as president to come forward and talk to us about the activities he has added to our Daytimers.

• Hockey for Cancer

• Hockey for Hospice

• 80 + Canadian Hall of Fame

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John Thompson to invite Mike Campbell our current president to come forward and bring us up to date with our Daytimer Hockey. Are we considering adding another group?

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Our K-W Daytimers Executive
President: Mike Campbell
Vice-president: Bill McMichael
Treasurer: Brian Henry
Secretary: Larry Richardson
Social Director: Bob Hunke
Past President: John Thompson
Directors: Bob Hicks, Hugh Craigen, Rick Kressler, William Collins, Paul Paleczny

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DONATIONS

• Canadian Cancer Society

• Region of Waterloo Hospice

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SUPPORT:

• K-W Food Bank

• Child Witness Centre

• Donna Weber Fund and Waterloo Minor Hockey in financial support of minor hockey

• players

• Rotary Club or Kitchener Conestoga House of Friendship Christmas Hamper Project

• Jump Start