For the seventh year in a row, the Sylvan Lake Rotary Club is drafting the NHL’s best players to raise money for local and international charities.
On Saturday Oct.1, 23 teams, consisting of up to six people, will be selecting players in a fantasy hockey draft to compete for the Rotary Cup. A prize that has never been won twice in a row according to organizer and Rotarymember Jack Van Delden.
“No one has won it twice, however the team of the Hockeyvillians won it two years ago and came in second last year,” Van Delden said. “The teams are all scratching to be the first repeat.”
After socializing and starting at 6:00 p.m. at the Rotary Club, followed by a pre-draft meal – the fun begins with the first pick being selected by random draw at 7:30 p.m.
“The first team has 20 seconds to get their pick in, then we move onto the next team until all 23 teams have picked. Then we reverse the order, we start at 23 and work our way back to 1. We do that a total of four times beforeour first intermission,” he explained.
During the two intermissions, silent and live auction items will be raffled off to those interested. The draft will continue until four lines of forwards and three lines of defencemen have been selected. Each team is responsible tobring their own paperwork on who they would like to select, according to Van Delden.
“With our software, we will keep track of all the picked players and they will be removed from availability,” he said. “On the wall, we will have a display of 23 teams and all their players selected and this year we are in theprocess of doing this all online, so if you have your phone, iPad with you - you will see it right in front of you on the table.”
Once your team is selected it will be uploaded online by the Rotary Club, where you will be able to follow the live statistics throughout the NHL 82-game season.
The funds raised by the project will go back to the Rotary Club, who then distribute it to multiple worthwhile causes.
“We have an number of local and international endeavors - mostly focused around programs at the High School and Middle School level,” Van Delden said. “The Kidsport and Jumpsport programs provide funding and support forfamilies that cannot afford to participate in minor sport.
“Internationally, we work with Rotary Worldwide’s Polio Eradication program and in Guatamala and Mexico we have water projects, wheelchair projects, cataract surgery projects and other such projects,’ he said, adding that the80 per cent of funds go into the Sylvan Lake and Area and the other 20 per cent go internationally.
The prizes for the event are considerable.
“At the end of the season, the team with the most accumulated points will walk home with the Rotary Cup as well as $1,800 in cash. The second place team will walk home with $600 in cash. The last place team will be enteredinto next years’ draft for free,” Van Delden said.
If you would like more information about this event, you can contact Jack Van Delden at jackvandelden@yahoo.ca.
“We have been very pleased with the support the community has provided us over the years so seeing as it is growing in popularity, it is important not to wait until the last minute to enter because there might not be any room,”Van Delden added.
reporter@sylvanlakenews.com