Release courtesy of Niverville Junior A Hockey
NIVERVILLE, MB – Niverville’s new Junior A hockey team officially has a name: the Niverville Nighthawks! The decision comes after an extensive public engagement process that resulted in an outpouring of positive community feedback.
“There’s just something powerful and mysterious about the name Nighthawks,” says Kelvin Cech, the team’s head coach and general manager. “Our name gives me chills when I think about it. It’s unique to the Canadian Junior Hockey League and captures the spirit of rural Manitoba. I love it!”
The team-naming initiative kicked off in mid-November, launching a contest where members of the public were encouraged to submit potential team names. From the earliest days of the initiative, the Nighthawks was a favourite.
Once the submissions were whittled down to a short list of 12 possibilities, another round of voting took place in December.
The Nighthawks came out on top after both rounds of voting. However, before making their final decision the board carefully considered several important factors—including logo potential, marketability, and branding.
The other names in strong contention were the Clippers, Northstars, Threshers, and Nitro.
“The board was excited by the community response to the naming contest,” says Clarence Braun, spokesperson for the team’s board of directors. “The Nighthawks represents the strong community support we received, and it’s something that the board agrees is new and fresh in Canadian hockey team names.”
The next steps, which are already underway, involve finalizing colour schemes, uniform designs, and of course the team’s logo.
“The board of directors would like to express our appreciation to all those who took part in the team-naming initiative,” Braun adds. “As a board, we feel very fortunate for the amount of positive feedback and encouragement that continues to come in as we get closer to puck drop on our first season.”
For more information, please contact:
Kelvin Cech, Head Coach and General Manager: 604-356-3394
Clarence Braun, spokesperson for the board of directors: 204-791-2587
