Following successful pilot year for the Olds Minor Hockey female program, Olds College and the Olds Minor Hockey Association have announced they have committed to a long-term partnership.
The two parties recently completed the pilot partnership for the 2024-25 hockey season to explore establishing the “Junior Broncos” for the delivery of the Olds Minor Hockey female program. Moving forward, the Junior Broncos will remain under the governance and operational decision-making of Olds Minor Hockey Association, but the program will align with the player development, culture and branding of the Olds College Broncos (female) program.
Olds Minor Hockey and Olds College have jointly approved a branding update to officially implement the Junior Broncos program. For the 2025-2026 season, the youngest to middle age divisions of the Junior Broncos will wear jerseys that align with the logo and colours of the Broncos brand, with Olds Minor Hockey insignia included as patches on the jerseys as well. As community sponsors are secured, the Junior Broncos branding will be incorporated into older age divisions as well.
“The board of directors has prioritized the development of female hockey as one of the strategic initiatives of the association”, said Olds Minor Hockey president Jeremy Haaland.
“Over the last year we have worked to strengthen every aspect of our program, and we are well positioned to grow Olds Minor Hockey’s female program. The partnership with the Broncos allows us to fulfill our development goals for local female hockey.”
Olds Minor Hockey Association’s female co-ordinator Levi Oglivie added: “To attract female players, it is critical that we have strong and quality programming options, and that girls have the confidence to know they will have a place to play and opportunity to advance to the next level. OMHA’s partnership with the Broncos accomplishes these objectives, while providing Olds Minor Hockey’s female players with local role modelling and player mentorship."
Olds College Broncos head coach Matt McKnight added: “If female players can see it, they can be it, and our intent is to encourage minor hockey female players to set competitive goals for themselves to play as far as the game can take them. Wearing a Junior Broncos jersey is one important way that we are building the mentoring relationship between college and minor female players, and the Broncos look forward to building on the success of last season’s pilot for this generation of female players."
Olds Minor Hockey and the Broncos will be launching the new Junior Broncos jerseys before the upcoming hockey season. Registration for Olds Minor Hockey’s 2025-2026 season opens in early June. For additional information or questions, members of the public are invited to visit www.oldsminorhockey.com.
