Scotiabank Community Hockey Sponsorship & the Kawartha Komets

The Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program was thrilled to learn that our organization was chosen to be part of the Scotiabank Community Hockey Sponsorship Program.  

We were the recipients of a generous $1,000 sponsorship and the cheque presentation took place at the Hunter Street branch of Scotiabank in Peterborough. In addition to the sponsorship, Scotiabank provided some excellent "swag" for all our players...toques, skate towels, pucks, hockey tape, luggage tags, etc.

This is not the first time that Scotiabank has supported the Kawartha Komets. They have been very generous to us in the past for which we are very grateful.

Our organization extends a big THANK YOU to Scotiabank for your generosity and for your mandate which states..."We believe Canada’s game should be for all Canadians. That’s why Scotiabank is on a mission to make hockey more diverse, more inclusive and more accessible for all."

For more information on this special Scotiabank program please check out this site:

https://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/about/sponsorships/hockey-for-all.html

John Clark, David Fisher & Jacob Zitman

Christmas Greetings from the Kawartha Komets Board of Directors

The Kawartha Komets Board of Directors wish to take this opportunity to wish all our participants, sponsors, & supporters a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR.

 

Kawartha Komets Take on the U15AA Ice Kats

Recently a mixed Kawartha Komets METEORS and PHOENIX team played the top-rated Under 15 AA girls team in Canada, the local U15 AA Peterborough Ice Kats.

This was the 3rd season that we've enjoyed playing Chris Moher's team and it was an entertaining event as always. Both teams lined up at their blue lines for the national anthem and then Bob Sinclair dropped the puck.

I'm going to state that the game ended in a 5-5 tie but...if the Ice Kats had turned on their jets...it would have been another story.  I'll just say that the Ice Kats are an amazing group of girls (or young women) with superb hockey skills.  So exciting to watch!

As always though...the Komets were BLAZING!

Jack McGee Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac Sponsors the Komets

 The Kawartha Komets are excited to announce that the Jack McGee Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac dealership will be sponsoring the Kawartha Komets for the 2021-2022 season. 

The Komets have a long-standing relationship with the McGee family and we are grateful for their partnership. 

If you're in the market for a new vehicle, be sure to check them out at www.jackmcgee.com

Kawartha Komets Announce New Sponsor

 The Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program is pleased to welcome the Ontario Truck Training Academy as our latest sponsor.  

Yvette & Dennis Lagrois, owners of OTTA, have been involved with the Komets for several years along with their son Max, and we have enjoyed the association with their family.  

THANK YOU for your support of the Kawartha Komets organization and for helping us to achieve our mandate of "Making Dreams Come True".

For more information on the Ontario Truck Training Academy, please check out their website at www.otta.ca   

EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PLAYERS & VOLUNTEERS

Opportunities to volunteer and play for the Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program.  

We have exciting openings for coaches, trainers, on-ice volunteers, off-ice volunteers, bench support staff...and players. For more information, please call (705) 868-8825 or e-mail us at dwfisher@nexicom.net Thank you for your interest in the Komets. 

 

Making Dreams Come True

Looking for a rewarding opportunity, helping the Kawartha Komets to fulfill our mandate..."Making Dreams Come True" for special needs girls, boys, teens, and adults? Please give us a call @ (705) 868-8825 or e-mail us at kawarthakomets@gmail.com THANK YOU!

REGISTER for the 2021-2022 Season

 Please click on the REGISTRATION tab above to see our REGISTRATION FORM to register for the 2021-2022 season.  THANK YOU!

Exciting Opportunities for Volunteers with the Kawartha Komets

Please call Carol Fisher @ (705) 868-8825 or e-mail 

the Kawartha Komets @ dwfisher@nexicom.net 

if you are interested! THANK YOU!

 

Intent to Register for 2021-2022 Season

The Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program is hoping for a Return to Play for the 2021-2022 season after missing the 2020-2021 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you are intending to return to the Komets OR if you are a new player who would like to register for the upcoming season, please complete the Intent to Register form and either mail it to the Komets or send it by e-mail.

Please note:  This is not our "official" registration form.  It is just an Intent to Register form, letting us know that you are interested in playing for the Komets.

Please click here for the Intent to Register form.

Our e-mail address is dwfisher@nexicom.net and our mailing address is:

Kawartha Komets - c/o David & Carol Fisher, 1153 Neptune Street, Peterborough, ON  K9H 7S8

Thank you for your interest in the Kawartha Komets.

VOTE to help Bobcaygeon become KRAFT'S Hockeyville for 2021

To our Kawartha Komets players, families, caregivers, volunteers, board members, referees, and anyone else reading this post.

Every year Kraft sponsors a Kraft Hockeyville contest where arenas across Canada can apply for a $250,000 grant to improve their facility plus the opportunity to host an NHL pre-season game.  The four (4) finalists have been chosen and the Bobcaygeon-Verulam Community Centre made the final four. CONGRATULATIONS!    It’s exciting that an arena so close to Peterborough could become  Kraft’s Hockeyville for 2021.  The town of Bobcaygeon has gone through some difficult times due to COVID-19 and they need some GOOD NEWS to celebrate.

Registration to vote for Kraft Hockeyville opened today, Thursday, April 8^th,  and voting takes place tomorrow, Friday, April 9^th. Registration is easy. Just click on the link below and enter the contest. REGISTER TODAY and VOTE TOMORROW.

I’m hoping that our Kawartha Komets “family” will pitch in and vote for Bobcaygeon…a town in the Kawarthas that might, someday, even have a special needs hockey program of their own.  Just think…we could drive past a completely renovated and updated arena in Bobcaygeon and know that our vote helped to make it happen.

THANK YOU for helping to make our neighbour, BOBCAYGEON, Kraft Hockeyville 2021.

David Fisher/Director of Communications and Media Relations

Please click on this link to REGISTER!  

https://www.krafthockeyville.ca/#/landing

 

Kawartha Komets Recommend Peterborough Disability Tax Services

Our friend, Lyle Saunders, owner of Peterborough Disability Tax Services, can be a great help to those who claim the disability tax credit or wish to know more about it.

We have used his services and we encourage you to click on the link below and check him out. You'll be glad you did!

Click here to learn more!

Mary McGee's Sponsorship of the Kawartha Komets

Even though the Kawartha Komets Board of Directors decided unanimously to cancel our 2020-2021 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our primary sponsor, Mary McGee, kindly and generously agreed to sponsor our special needs program again.

Even though our four (4) teams are not on the ice this season, there are ongoing expenses that need to be looked after.

Thank you, Mary, for your sponsorship over these many years. You play such a significant role as we seek to fulfill the Komets' mandate of "Making Dreams Come True" for our players.

Kawartha Komets Donate Surplus Equipment to First Nations

Recently the Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program made a sizeable donation of good, used hockey equipment to the First Nations Hockey Equipment Drive. Over the 12 years since the Komets were launched we have received many donations of equipment and our board agreed that to save storage costs we should donate these surplus items. Two van loads of skates and equipment were dropped off last Saturday and these items will be distributed to those who might not be able to afford new equipment.

The Peterborough Examiner published the following report:

"The Peterborough Petes spent Saturday helping organize donations of hockey equipment for First Nations communities, part of the 'Their Opportunity' program.

The team helped out the call for donations, and it was answered. More than 700 bags of gear were collected at Total Construction Management on Lansdowne Street East.

Since its inception in 2015, the First Nations Hockey Equipment Drive (FNHED) has collected, organized, sanitized, and donated thousands of equipment sets. The organization also accepts cash donations through 'Their Opportunity'. Tax receipts will be issued, and all funds will be used to buy new hockey helmets and support equipment transportation costs.

The Komets donated two van loads of equipment

MPP Dave Smith Supports the Kawartha Komets

 It was so refreshing and encouraging to see this photo of our local MPP, Dave Smith, wearing his Kawartha Komets jersey at a meeting with amateur sports organizations. The photo appeared in Dave Smith's ACTION CENTRE NEWS for September 2020.

Thank you, Dave, for your ongoing support of the Komets and for all you do for our riding!

PETERBOROUGH WOLVES NAMED SPECIAL OLYMPICS ONTARIO 2020 TEAM OF THE YEAR

The Peterborough Wolves floor hockey team have been named the Special Olympics Ontario 2020 Team of the Year.

CONGRATULATIONS to the coaching staff, Ron Cambridge, Joan Moriarty and Andrew Snead and the all the players. Several members of the floor hockey team also play for the Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program...Jacob Zitman, Ryan Blinn, Quinten Over, Brandon Allen (Vansickle) and Stone Shearer. Two former Komets are also on the team...Dylan Armstrong and Michael Brioux. We're proud of you all.

The Peterborough Examiner published the following article, written by Mike Davies, this week:

Accolades keep coming for the Peterborough Wolves floor hockey team.

In March they won the gold medal representing Ontario in the A Division of the Special Olympics National Winter Games in Thunder Bay.

On Monday, they were named the Special Olympics Ontario 2020 Team of the Year. They are one of two Peterborough teams honoured this year as the St. Peter Saints traditional basketball team was named School Team of the Year.

“This just caps off the great season we had and our great trip to nationals,” said Wolves coach Ron Cambridge.

“Being recognized by your province just gives us inspiration for next year.”

The Wolves were undefeated in five games at nationals and rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the final to beat British Columbia 4-3 on Michael Brioux’s goal with two seconds left.

“It’s an honour to get this award,” said player Dylan Armstrong, 27.

“It means a lot and means that we are being looked at as a team that’s on the cusp of making it bigger. What made our team special is we all got together and figured out what our weaknesses were and what our strengths were and we put them all together.”

Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program Cancels 2020-2021 Season

MEDIA RELEASE - Sunday, August 23rd, 2020

The Board of Directors of the Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program voted unanimously to cancel the upcoming 2020-2021 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The safety and well-being of our players, families, caregivers, volunteers and board members is of paramount importance and we felt that the risks of playing were too great for our organization.

The additional liability insurance that we would require, strict safety protocols that would have to be adhered to, and the fact that some of our players have compromised immune systems were some of the factors that led to us making this very difficult decision.

Over the past weeks we have been in close contact with our governing body, Canadian National Special Hockey, the OHF (Ontario Hockey Federation), Hockey Canada and our local arena personnel.  As an organization we are committed to providing a safe “return to play” for our players but at this time we feel we cannot guarantee their safety and well-being.

The Kawartha Komets, founded by Carol Fisher in 2009, just completed our 11^th season with four teams, the Saturns, Galaxy, Meteors and Phoenix.  Mary McGee, wife of the late Jack McGee, has been the primary sponsor of the Komets since 2013.

We look forward to hitting the ice again for the 2021-2022 season.

For more information on the Kawartha Komets please check our web site at www.kawarthakomets.com  If you are interested in playing for the Komets, please go to the web site, click on the registration tab and print off and complete the “Intent to Register” form and mail it to us.  The Komets will keep you informed of any further developments.

 

ACCESS STORAGE - ASSOCIATE SPONSOR OF THE KAWARTHA KOMETS

The Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program wishes to remind people in Peterborough and the surrounding area that ACCESS STORAGE, formerly operating as STORE-N-SAVE, is one of our associate sponsors.

If you are planning on moving in the near future and need a place to store some items or...if you just need a place to keep extra furniture, etc. please consider using ACCESS STORAGE.

The Kawartha Komets have been using the excellent facilities of ACCESS STORAGE for over five (5) years at their location on 1850 Fisher Drive, Peterborough ON K9J 6X6.

"ACCESS STORAGE is Proudly Canadian Owned with over 200 locations from coast to coast. “We are honoured to align ourselves with the Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program in this partnership as we value strong community relationships and the Komets’ heartfelt cause to break down barriers to include all in the sport of hockey.”

From a basic 5’x5’ to a large 15’x20’ locker, an interior climate-controlled unit, to an exterior drive-up one, their facility has it all...and with options to suit any budget. All of the premium self-storage features you could require are available at the Access Storage in Peterborough including great service everyday!

For any of your storage needs, we encourage you to contact ACCESS STORAGE by calling 1–855-466-7367 or by visiting their website @ www.accessstorage.ca

THANK YOU, ACCESS STORAGE, for your sponsorship of our special needs hockey program! Your partnership will assist the Kawartha Komets in fulfilling our mandate of "Making Dreams Come True" for our players! - David Fisher.

Thank You to our Kawartha Komets Team of Volunteers

 The Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program, established in 2009, has an incredible team of volunteers who generously give of their time and talents, week after week. 

Our motto is "Making Dreams Come True" and these faithful, committed volunteers do their utmost to make this happen for the 60 plus Komets players on 4 teams.

THANK YOU to each and every one of you! Because of your efforts, the Komets are BLAZING and making a difference in the lives of these amazing athletes. 

We celebrate our team of volunteers during this National Volunteer Week!

Kawartha Komets Cancel Balance of 2019-2020 Season

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO OUR KAWARTHA KOMETS MEMBERSHIP:

Due to the COVID – 19 virus pandemic, after consulting with our Board of Directors, some concerned parents and a health care professional, the Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program regrets to announce that we are cancelling the balance of the 2019-2020 season.  

We take the health and safety of our players, parents, caregivers, staff and volunteers very seriously and we feel that this is the right decision “for the good of the Komets”.  

When organizations like the NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and the Ontario Hockey League have suspended their seasons we feel that we must be pro-active in this matter especially since some of our players have compromised immune systems.  

We regret that we had to make this decision because our players look forward to playing hockey each weekend and they’re always disappointed when the season ends.

THANK YOU for your understanding!  It has been a successful season and we will move ahead…”for the good of the Komets”!

Peterborough Wolves Win GOLD at Winter Games

CONGRATULATIONS to the Peterborough Wolves for winning GOLD in floor hockey at the Special Olympics Winter Games in Thunder Bay!  We are so proud of you!

Five of the team members currently play for the Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program...Quinten Over, Ryan Blinn, Jacob Zitman, Stone Shearer and Brandon Van Sickle.  Two of the Wolves players are former Komets, Michael Brioux and Dylan Armstrong!  You made our city proud of your accomplishments. 

Special CONGRATULATIONS to the coaching staff, Joan Moriarty, Andrew Snead and Ron Cambridge!

Brandon Van Sickle to Represent Canada at World Cup

INTERNATIONAL DISABLED HOCKEY WORLD CUP

The inaugural International Disabled Hockey World Cup will take place May 11-17, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event provides athletes with disabilities the opportunity to play for a world championship as these disciplines do not have enough teams or are not recognized by the international body to participate in the Paralympics.

The tournament will feature women's sled hockey, men's development sled hockey, deaf/hard of hearing hockey, blind hockey, special hockey and amputee hockey. Each discipline will contain four teams that will compete in a minimum of four tournament games. There will be a championship game for each discipline, except for special hockey in which all participants will be recognized. The International Disabled Hockey World Cup will follow the same rules normally used by each disciplines International Federation. For more information, please email:

 disabledhockey@usahockey.org

TEAM CANADA SPECIAL HOCKEY

Each member organization of CNSH (Canadian National Special Hockey) was invited to nominate a player(s) to participate in the Special Hockey competition at the International Disabled Hockey World Cup.  There were commitments, requirements and qualifications that each player had to meet.  The Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program nominated Brandon Van Sickle, a 10-year veteran of our organization who plays on the Senior PHOENIX team. Brandon is the son of Andrew Snead and Robert Krueger.

He’s an enthusiastic and polite young man…a joy to have on any team. Brandon excels in soccer and floor hockey and has traveled extensively with Special Olympics…competing in the World Games in soccer at Abu Dhabi…winning a bronze medal and winning gold at the Nationals, in soccer, in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.  He also plays baseball, swims and is involved in 10-pin bowling.  He displays excellence in all he does!  We’ve watched Brandon improve and excel with each passing season and he is certainly an excellent candidate to represent Canada at the Hockey World Cup. 

The Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program is proud to announce that Brandon has been accepted to represent Team Canada.  Team Canada will play a minimum of four (4) games against Special Hockey International teams from the USA, United Kingdom, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark.  This is a first-time event for Team Canada.

Everyone in the Kawartha Komets organization wishes Brandon the very best as he represents our country and the City of Peterborough.

Peterborough, ON – January 25^th,2020  

kawarthakomets@gmail.com     

DONATE to the Komets Today, GIVING TUESDAY, December 3rd, 2019

TODAY, December 3rd, 2019 is GIVING TUESDAY!!! 

We encourage you to make a donation of $25.00 or more to the Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program today, Tuesday, December 3rd, 2019 - GIVING TUESDAY - and Canada Helps will add $5.00 to each donation.

 

PLEASE CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK to make a donation.  REMEMBER...if you make a donation on GIVING TUESDAY, today, of $25.00 or more, Canada Helps will add $5.00 to your donation.

Thank you for partnering with us in this our 11th season of providing girls, boys, teens and adults with physical, emotional and/or neurodevelopmental challenges an opportunity to play the game they love...HOCKEY!

All donors who make a donation of $25.00 or more TODAY will receive an Official Income Tax Receipt.

Busy Weekend for the Komets & Robert McGregor

It was another busy weekend for the Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program and a very special one for our SATURNS (Junior) goaltender, Robert McGregor. On Saturday we had three games against the Newmarket Nighthawks here in Peterborough. 

Before the game, Robert presented a cheque for $500 to the Komets...proceeds from the sale of his book A Journey of a Thousand Steps. Robert's book recounts the challenges he has faced over the years...battling cancer, his visual impairment and a successful kidney transplant...his father John being the donor.

Today the Komets played four games in Ajax against the Durham Dragons. Robert's friends and family were in attendance...in full force...to cheer him on. We captured them on camera following his game.  THANK YOU, Robert, for being such an inspiration to all of us.

Please contact us at dwfisher@nexicom.net if you'd like a copy of A Journey of a Thousand Steps.