The Westside's entry into the BC Hockey League has a name.
The overwhelming choice is Warriors---and, if a gymnasium full of kids at George Pringle Elementary is any indication, the name, logo and colour scheme are already a hit.
Warriors President and General Manager Gary Gelinas said the name Warriors was far and away the most popular of the 2,200 submissions during a name the team contest, winning by a 3 to 1 margin over the next most popular.
Team colours are predominately Burgundy and gold.
Gelinas says "burgundy reflects the richness of the region, from apples to the wine industry, while gold represents the famous sunshine and sandy beaches."
"This is a big day for us, the day this organization became a live entity---became the Westside's team," says Gelinas. "We think the look went over big."
Gelinas says he was not worried about stereotyping, selecting the name Warriors in a community so close to the Westbank First Nations.
"We realized the Warrior name was very popular, and I contacted the Westbank First Nations and asked if they had any concerns. They were fine with it. We involved them in the process, and we believe this logo and this look will appeal to a very broad audience. It captures the essence of the warrior spirit.
Posted: April 07, 2006 / 3:00 pm
Story# 17603 / Wayne Moore / Castanet
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