While this article specifically looks at nine Canada West women's hockey teams, the men's teams and every other university sport in this country deserves more than family and friends at games. I'm not here to beg you for money because that's just wrong. What I am here asking is that if you enjoy hockey, support it at the lower levels by going to games. Get to know the players. Listen to broadcasts of those games. Fall in love with the sport again as opposed to the bright lights of professional sports which is 98% business and 2% the love of the game.
With games happening on Fridays and Saturdays in the fall, it occurred to me that those are usually the nights that people hit the movies most often. Whether it be a new premiere, a popular movie in society, or an indie film or cult classic at a smaller theatre, people enjoy the movies and often spend their weekend evenings in theatres. So why not combine the two and offer the theatre of an incredible game in an arena while having a little fun with the teams by making them into movie posters!
We'll work from west to east in Canada West with these movie posters for each of team in the conference. This is all in good fun, so don't get too upset if I chose a movie you didn't like or don't know. It's a fun way for me to convince you to give up a Friday or Saturday night next fall and winter to come and support the men and women playng hockey at each school! And feel free to click the movie posters to see them closer on your screen!
Movie: X-Men - Dark Phoenix
While there won't be a turn by any of the Thunderbirds when it comes to attacking the team, the T-Birds do have a dark side in which they use their size and speed to overwhelm teams quickly. There were some creative liberties taken with this poster as Pokemon's Zapdos gets included and the X-Men all have hockey helmets on to make the imagery work, and the end result looks pretty good. When it comes to hockey action, like X-Men franchise, you can't go wrong with the T-Birds!
Movie: 300
If there's one team whose poster represents them the best, the Spartans may be it. The first-year Canada West team faces big odds as they stare down the powerhouse teams who want to conquer them and take two points, but I expect the Spartans to be scrappy and gritty all season long. They'll battle hard, they'll fight with every last breath in them, but will they prevail? Like the movie representing them, tales will be told of the fight they bring every night!
Movie: Jurassic Park
When I see that Jurassic Park logo, I hear the theme to the movie. I always wonder why the Dinos don't play more off this idea, but I guess they're building their own identity. I'll go ahead and ruin that by tying them directly to this movie that works so well thanks to their team colours. Like the the movie, the Dinos are an adventure as they can be as deadly as a velociraptor or as defensive as a stegosaurus, but you'll leave the arena entertained thanks to the great action on the ice!
Movie: The Secret Life of Pets 2
You might wonder why this poster was chosen, but the Cougars have a ton to be proud of over the last few years that includes their first trip to the National Championship and winning their first game there over the University of Toronto. The future is bright for this team, and, like the cartoon, they should totally win you over with their wholesomeness and their teamwork. And like the movie, I'm sensing a sequel of last year's success too!
Movie: Kung Fu Panda
While this poster is technically a minimalist poster, it does offer the important things needed to promote the Alberta Pandas - namely Po the Panda and his hovering over the Canada West logo which is representative of their dominance for so many years. Like Po, the Pandas are masters of their craft, defeating all who stand in their quest to claim the Canada West championship each and every year thanks to the teamwork they show just as Po did with the Furious Five!
Movie: Gryffin
You might be asking what this Gryffin movie is, and I honestly can't tell you. It's some sort of music movie that focuses on this Gryffin person's music, but that's about all I know about the movie. Like the movie, though, the MacEwan Griffins come into Canada West play as a bit of a mystery after having dominated the ACAC for the last few years. If they can find winning ways at the U SPORTS level, I'll say it'll leave everyone singing a different tune about their inclusion!
Movie: Puss In Boots
While it's been some time since the Regina Cougars wrote a fairy-tale ending to a season, the plucky Cougars and Puss In Boots are always entertaining and fun. They have skill, speed, they always have a goalie with cat-like reflexes tending the nets, and they tend to be closer to a cartoon age with the youth on their roster. One thing you can be sure of while watching the Regina Cougars is that you'll be entertained by their skill while being charmed by their game!
Movie: Eight Below
The Huskies feature the only poster with a real person on the poster as head coach Steve Kook makes an appearance! It's important to note that he is the man who guides this team which always plays bigger due to their teamwork much like Paul Walker guided his huskies who pulled the sled in Eight Below. The Saskatchewan team, when all pulling in the same direction, are a force to be reckoned with in Canada West, and they're likely going to be in the race again this season!
Movie: The White Buffalo
The White Buffalo is a relatively obscure movie, but the story is of a man who dreams of a rampaging white bison, and that's not far off from the rampaging brown-and-gold Bisons found in Canada West women's hockey! The Bisons are young, fast, and getting better with every game as we saw towards the end of the 2019-20 season, so expect to see this team haunt goaltenders and defenders all season long as they rampage through the schedule!
Just like movies at the box office, ticket sales help these university things do bigger and better things each and every year. Make sure you clear a weekend evening or two to catch a few of these feature films at your local rinks when the come to town near you! Popcorn is served in most of the arenas, beverages can be had as well, so there's no reason not to trade a movie night at the theatre for a feature at the rink!
Which movies are you excited to see? Leave a comment below and we can discuss!
Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!
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