Whitby Silver Stick®

The Silver Stick Story....

The founder of International Silver Stick Association, Mr. Jack Kinsella, was born in Regina, Saskatchewan,
April 12 1908.  He moved to Ottawa, Ontario as a child, and it was in this city that the idea of Silver Stick
originated in 1957.  The purpose of the venture was to further International relations between Peewee and
Bantam age players from the Richmond, Ontario area south of Ottawa, Canada’s Capital, and upper New York State.

The theme of the entire program is to promote citizenship and goodwill through the medium of Silver Stick hockey,
and to foster sportsmanship through International competition for youth of all nations.

A trophy was needed for the tournament, and one of the founders, Mr. Ernie Temple, is credited with the idea of using
a long stick instead of a trophy to present to the winners.  The stick, made of silver and donated by the Ottawa Citizen
newspaper, was used at the first Silver Stick Tournament in 1958 in Richmond, Ontario.  Relative replicas of the original
Silver Stick Trophy are used in North American Finals.  In 1961, Mr. Kinsella contacted Fred Lamlein of Port Huron,
Michigan who then visited with Mr. Kinsella in Ottawa.   Following that meeting, Silver Stick Hockey was introduced to
southwestern Ontario with a tournament in Watford.  The late Roy Caley of Watford was responsible for organizing and
promoting this event.

Mr. Kinsella died in Ottawa, Ontario on March 14, 2007, the same year that the 50^th Anniversary of International
Silver Stick was celebrated at the AGM hosted by Whitby Silver Stick.  The highlight of the year’s celebrations was
when Tom Cowick, a Silver Stick Pioneer who coached a Richmond, Ontario team in 1959 against Potsdam N.Y., organized
a 50^th Anniversary celebration for Richmond and held it on Feb. 16, 2008   It included games between Richmond and Potsdam
Peewee and Bantam teams, and was attended by the U.S. Ambassador to Canada and a Canadian Cabinet Minister, just
like 50 years earlier.   The original Silver Stick trophy used in 1958, and that now rests in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto,
was also used during the Richmond celebrations.

In 1963, the first North American Finals Tournament took place in Port Huron, Michigan.  On May 19, 1963 a Constitution
and Bylaws were adopted and an International Board elected.  Port Huron was chosen as the permanent “home” of
Silver Stick Hockey, and the site of the Peewee and Bantam Finals each year.

In 1969 Sarnia, Ontario was established as the site of the “Atom and Midget” Finals Tournament each year.  In subsequent
years, new Finals were introduced at other locations, as new divisions, and girls’ hockey were added to the Silver Stick line-up.

In 1989 Whitby, Ontario was sanctioned to host the new International Silver Stick “AAA” Minor Finals.  On November 23,
1994 the Whitby Tournament was named the Gloria Rints Memorial International Silver Stick Tournament in honour of Gloria,
who passed away on September 23, 1994 in appreciation for her many years of service in the Ladies Auxiliary, and as
Tournament Director for Whitby Minor Hockey Association.

The International Silver Stick Board of Directors is headed by a Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner,
Second Deputy Commissioner, Executive Director and Immediate Past Commissioner.  Of the fourteen directors,
seven represent Canada, and seven represent the U.S.A.
        
Since the Finals in Port Huron, the competition has grown to feature upwards of 65,000 participants each year.
For more information about International Silver Stick, please refer to our website: www.silverstick.org