Friday
Mar112011

Charlie MacLean

Charlie played an important role in Canadian minor sports.

It was Charlie who, in 1953, originated the idea for Minor Hockey Week in Canada.

He drafted a proposal which was accepted unanimously in 1953 at the local level (Trail Minor Hockey Association), in 1954, at the provincial level (British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association) and in 1956, at the national level (Canadian Amateur Hockey Association).

Minor Hockey Week in Canada turned out to be a huge success. The idea was to celebrate the people who make our national game available to our children and reinforce the idea that minor hockey is a community asset to be cherished.

Born in Nelson, B.C. on February 1, 1911, Charles MacLean recieved his education in Nelson. Charlie spent most of his 57 years around Trail and Nelson, pursuing hockey, the sport he loved best.

Charlie served for 29 years with the Trail Hocket Association. He was also a president, treasurer and secretary-treasurer of the Trail Boys' Booster Club. Charlie was also president of the West Kootenay Minor Hockey Association, the West Kootenay Junior Hockey League and a director and Referee-in-Chief with the Western International Hockey League.

Charlie also served as president of the Trail Junior Lacrosse Association and was a director with the Trail Athletic Association.