Talon Zakall, a Merritt resident playing for his hometown Centennials, practicing at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops on Thursday (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

MERRITT FLOODING

Kamloops connections helping Merritt Centennials through difficult time

Nov 18, 2021 | 12:07 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Merritt Centennials, with no place to go after their community flooded, have settled for now in Kamloops for the forseeable future.

The Cents have been practicing out of the Sandman Centre since they were evacuated on Monday.

“It’s frustrating, but at the end of the day there’s a lot of people going through some really difficult times right now. Hockey really does get put on the backburner,” said Centennials head coach Dave Chyzowski. “I feel for the town of Merritt and surrounding areas.”

There are a few local players on the team, including two Merritt residents Talon Zakall and Chase Cooke, who are devastated to see parts of their hometown destroyed.

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“It was eye-opening and it was sad to see all the people’s houses — people I know who lost their houses,” said Cooke. “Down by the school that I just graduated from last year, so that was completely in water, so it’s definitely sad to see.”

In the midst of tragedy, there has been good to come out of the flooding situation. Merritt residents are being taken in by Kamloops people, including Centennials players. Cooke is staying with his aunt and grandparents who live in Kamloops.

There are also five players from Kamloops, including the Ward boys. Their parents are taking in a bunch of players and billet parents.

“At the start we had six in my house, six players at least, and we have my billet family and my brother’s billet family,” said Ben Ward. “I think we’re up to 15, just all sleeping on couches and cots and everything.”

Chyzowski, who still lives in the city, has been welcoming players as well. He’s also been footing a pretty hefty grocery bill with the boys in town.

“I think I started out at $800 the first day and there was about $600 the second day and then another $400. We’re at about $2,000 four days in,” said Chyzowski. “We’ve got some kids, and now that they’re skating and working out, their appetites are starting to increase. They’re chipping in, everybody’s been helping. I’ve actually got a buddy that went and bought a bunch of food yesterday, he’s coming over tonight to help out.”

With no timeline on when the Centennials can return to Merritt, they’ll be in Kamloops and skating at the Sandman Centre for at least another week. The team is just incredibly thankful to everyone, including the Blazers and the City of Kamloops, who’s helped out.

“It’s just really nice to see that we have places to go and people are looking out for everyone and coming together in a time like this,” said Cooke.