The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) is pleased to announce the creation of a new league award that will be presented to the General Manager of the Year and named in honour of longtime Sicamous Eagles’ GM Wayne March, who passed away on September 18, 2024.
“Wayne exemplified the positive characteristics that a General Manager should strive for in junior hockey,” said KIJHL commissioner Jeff Dubois. “He had a tremendous eye for talent, was committed to player development and advancement, and was universally respected by his peers as an individual who always operated with honesty and integrity. We’re very pleased to be able to honour Wayne’s memory well into the future with the creation of this award.”
March was an original co-founder (along with Doug Birks) of the Sicamous Eagles and spent 28 years with the organization. Under March, the Eagles won three KIJHL league championships and competed in the League Finals six times. They also won two Cyclone Taylor Cup championships as B.C. Junior B champions and captured a Keystone Cup as Western Canadian Junior B Champions.
Eagles’ governor Sheila Devost touched on how the organization was honoured to share the news regarding the Wayne March General Manager of the Year award.
“Wayne’s presence was felt in the arena Sunday as KIJHL commissioner Jeff Dubois shared the news of this award to a packed house, celebrating the Eagles’ 30 years in the league during the alumni game,” said Devost, adding that crowd included over 40 players, coaches and trainers on the ice and bench. “It was an emotional moment for so many who started and shared their hockey journey with Wayne, especially his wife Mary and family.”
In a recent tribute story, March said what he cherished about his time with the KIJHL organization was advancing players to “bigger and better things in their lives.” Eagles alumni who advanced to play in the National Hockey League included recent Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Shea Weber, as well as Cody Franson, Deryk Engelland, Kris Beech and Andrew Ebbett.
