The hockey season is approaching fast, and the Steinbach Minor Hockey Association (SMHA) wants to see you at the arena. Team spirit Josh Plett, president of the SMHA, notes all teams are put together by Oct. 1. “Next week we’re going to start with pre-skates, and the following week after that we get into evaluations,” Plett explains. He says they currently have about 185 players registered this year. “Registration is closed but it doesn’t mean you can’t register if you’re still on the fence.” Skating ahead Hockey in Steinbach continues to evolve as Plett notes a rise in girls’ hockey registration. “There’s been a bit of an uptick in girls. Eastman in general is the fastest growing female (hockey) region in the province,” he says. “There’s a lot of girls stepping into hockey and getting into it... It is starting to snowball for sure.” The increased interest in hockey is paired timely with the opening of Steinbach’s new arena. “There’s a lot of things coming and brewing, and this is the first year we’re able to host tournaments in two years. The availability to have that new rink is definitely a huge plus,” explains Plett. He says each age group has a tournament coming up this season, and most of them are fully booked. “It filled up really, really fast, and so that’s a great thing for us.” New arena, new look With the recent opening of the Southeast Event Centre, SMHA followed suit with the launch of their new jerseys. “(The players) are really excited. And who wouldn’t be with that nice, beautiful facility? That, combined with our new jerseys that we rolled out this year, I think it’s just built a real big push and excitement for our association,” says Plett. By popular demand, the new jerseys sport a black and blue colour scheme paired with the signature SMHA logo. To make hockey more accessible and affordable for everyone, SMHA is hosting a raffle to reduce costs for players and families. There are many prizes to be won. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased from any participating SMHA player or at A&W in Steinbach. Visit this previous story to learn more about the raffle. Written with files from Carly Koop