By Earl Seitz

Broncos and KIBIHT

Broncos and KIBIHT planning for 2021 season. Bantam tournament has name change (sort of)

Jun 9, 2021 | 6:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — Jan Antons is a man with many hats.

Chances are anywhere you go in the community at anything that requires volunteers, you will find Jan.

A couple of his volunteer gigs involve local sports — Antons is Director of Football Operations and General Manager of the Kamloops Broncos, and the Chairman of the International Bantam Hockey Tournament.

Like so many other things, 2020 was a wash out for both of those, because of the pandemic.

Now the Broncos and KIBIHT are planning for a full return in 2021.

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Are the B.C. Conservatives digging their own graves?

5h ago

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Culturally appropriate food goes beyond the ingredients on a plate

Dec 14, 2024

Two and Out

PETERS: Whether building up or tearing down, Kamloops is what you make it

Dec 13, 2024

The last time the Broncos played a home game at Hillside, was September 21, 2019 against the Vancouver Island Raiders.

With vaccinations up and COVID numbers going down, fingers are crossed that a full season can go ahead in 2021.

“Most likely start the beginning of September with games.” says Broncos general manager Jan Antons. “We would start camp, or practices, hopefully at the beginning of August.”

It will be a reduced schedule — eight games, down from the usual ten, and more localized play —- more games against the closer teams like Okanagan, Chilliwack and Langley.

And the hope is for fans in the stands —- starting with training camp.

“Right now the provincial health office is saying yes. So we’ll start with small amounts — 50 people for August and once we start in September we can have a full allotment of fans, because it’s outdoors.”

Teams could start signing players June 1st, and so far the Broncos have over 30 — not including the returning players from the last season in 2019.

For the first time in its more than 50 year history, there was no International Bantam Hockey Tournament last hockey season.

Another victim of the pandemic.

But plans are a go for a return of the tournament from December 29, to January 2, 2022 — with three divisions —– tier two, tier one and new elite division for triple AAA and open to academy teams.

The new elite division will be named after KIBIHT alumnus Adam Herold.

Adam Herold played in KIBIHT in 2016 — a tournament all star and the tournaments top defenceman.

Herald was one of the victims in the Humboldt bus crash in 2018.

“Adam did not survive.” says Jan Antons. “Because of the kind of person Adam was, and the family support, we thought it was a great fit. We did contact the family, we did ask for permission and the family was so excited — that this was the greatest honor to have a division named after him.”

The tournament will also have a name change, of sorts — with B.C. Hockey no longer using the terms pee wee, bantam and midget to signify age groups.

Right now we’ have decided to just call it KIBIHT, not using the full name as much anymore. The KIBIHT name is so established, we did’nt want to change the branding, so moving forward we’re just calling it KIBIHT — B.C. Hockey went through the whole process of renaming bantam to U-15 and all the other levels — it will take a few years.