Heads up MJHL, here come the Niverville Nighthawks

Advertisement

Advertise with us

Operators of the MJHL’s expansion franchise in Niverville have christened their team the Nighthawks.

Read this article for free:


or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Subscribe and receive a limited-edition Free Press branded hat or tote.

Digital Subscription

One year of digital access for only $205*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/01/2022 (1693 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Operators of the MJHL’s expansion franchise in Niverville have christened their team the Nighthawks.

Friday’s announcement came two months after the not-for-profit group running the team started a contest in local schools and online to gather recommendations for a nickname.

Twelve names made a short list the team’s board of directors considered for the name and the public response was enthusiastic.

“Anybody can just sit around the room and choose whatever you want but you know, getting the community involved was a big deal for us,” said board spokesperson Clarence Braun.

“And the fact that we had a lot of investment from the community was really, really appreciated. It’s good to know that people feel like they were part of the process.”

The choice of Nighthawks beat out strong contention from the Clippers, Northstars, Threshers and Nitro.

“It definitely has a great flow, a great ring to it,” said board member Ray Dowse Friday.

“For myself, with a bit of a marketing background, I see the marketability of it with some of the stuff that we can do with the name. I think it’s going to be really fun and also very engaging as well from general public standpoint.”

The league’s 13th team begins play in the newly constructed Niverville Community Resource and Recreation Centre this fall.

Niverville was granted a franchise in June after agreeing to pay a $150,000 expansion fee.

In September, the organization secured a three-year lease to use the 1,100-seat facility.

Earlier this month, the club hired former Winkler Flyers head coach Kelvin Cech as its first general manager and head coach.

Mike McAulay was subsequently hired as assistant GM and director of scouting and the management team was permitted to begin assembling a 50-player protected list on Jan. 11.

Next on the agenda is finalizing team colours and logo design, something Dowse said should be completed within the next two months.

“There was a lot of great commentary and feedback from the public,” said Dowse. “Some really passionate people out there during this whole process. We had people send in their own logos for the name they were passionate about and their own color schemes.”

mike.sawatzky@winnipegfreepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14

Report Error Submit a Tip

Sports

LOAD SPORTS ARTICLES