Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Iconic Figures of the BCHL

Murray Maxwell is iconic with the Vees and the BCHL

Every team has them - somebody you think of when you think of the team - in Prince George its Super Fan with his homemade drum that is iconic with the Spruce Kings.

Traveling around the BCHL, with stops in all of the arenas, I've seen and heard many stories of people that have become iconic with their teams. I thought I would take some time this year and try and find some of these icons around the League and get to know them a little bit better.

Who better to start with then Murray Maxwell of the Penticton Vees. Really Murray is iconic of the League and not just the Vees, because he is known almost as well around the Province as he is in the city he has called home for a quarter of a century.

Murray is passionate about his team and his city to the point that he alone could be the sole source of promotion. Prior to arriving in Penticton, Murray went out of his way to let me know how excited he was to have the Spruce Kings coming to the South Okanagan Events Centre for a game the next day. On my Facebook page he invited me to check out his favourite coffee shop - "Fibonacci's Coffee in the 200 block of Main Street for a really good specialty coffee or Cappuccino."

You will almost always find Murray at the rink during hockey season and you will always find him wearing his Vees jersey and big smile. Away from the rink, he keeps himself active in the community and is always out and about at the different events.

Murray Maxwell is without question the most recognizable figure around the Penticton Vees and that's saying something given the names that have come out of that organization over the years.

Prior to our game on Sunday September 30th, I found Murray updating his BCHL Standings Board situated just outside the BC Hockey Hall of Fame in the South Okanagan Events Centre. True to form he was wearing his Vees jersey and that big smile of his. After getting the board completed I had a quick conversation with him that I recorded for the Spruce Kings broadcast.

download audio file

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