CORNWALL, Ontario – For the first time in over a year, the Cornwall Girl’s Hockey Association hosted its annual tournament, with a return to in-person, on-the-ice action. The CGHA tournament took place Friday through Sunday, November 12 to 14. The large event saw around 56 teams arrive in Cornwall for a much appreciated return to normalcy for youth.
“It’s been a fantastic weekend,” said Mike Turcotte, lead organizer for the event. “This year was a little bit different in the sense that it seemed like every team, parent, and coach coming in was appreciative.”
Turcotte also noted how exceptional the City of Cornwall was at supporting the event. Without a rapid response to a bust compressor on Tuesday of last week, the young athletes would have likely been lacing up for a field hockey event. Following a faulty installation on Thursday, city worker’s scrambled overnight to get the ice ready in time for the first puck drop on Friday, November 12, 2021.
The CGHA tournament helped also had an economic impact for the city. According to Turcotte most hotels had rooms booked and restaurants were full as visiting teams assembled in Cornwall for the first time since 2019.
While there were some successes out on the ice, particularly for the Cornwall’s U11 team which won 4-0 out of its games, the tournament was an overall benefit for the mental health of players, their families, and organizers who were all excited to return to the action.
