Penticton Vees ready for their first game with fans welcomed back to the stands

The number one thing the Penticton Vees are looking forward to this season is having their fans back in the building.

For most of the players on this year's roster, this season will mark this first time any of the Vees will get to play with a crowd cheering them on.

"We need you back. I talked to a lot of our fans, it sounds like they need us to and so that's what's made a great relationship over the years," Head Coach Fred Harbinson said.

The team is full of energy in practice on Thursday afternoon ahead of their exhibition game on Friday night against the Vernon Vipers.

"[They're] ready to have people back in the building. I don't think people really understand on our part how much we miss them. And it's not about even the financial side of it, it's just about having them be a part of it. With our guys, listening to them during practice today, about how excited they are to have a game in front of people again, it is going to be pretty special."

The Penticton Vees will be welcoming crowds back to the South Okanagan Events Centre at 50 per cent capacity this season. BC Vaccine Cards will be required.

Harbinson said that the community response has been mostly positively for passports to attend games.

"There's been the odd person that's voiced a different opinion, which they're clearly allowed to have. But we as an organization, we feel strongly about this too, and this is a mandate by the province, but at the same time, we're supporting it," he added. "As part of our community, we feel that we had to do our part. We're leaders in the community and I'm proud to say that we're moving forward with it."

"We're hoping that by the end of October that maybe we're back to full buildings. And either way, our fans are always really loud and supportive."

The goal for the team this year is to earn their tenth division championship title in a row and continue to build better players.

Harbinson said the players to watch are Captain Finn Williams, Luc Wilson and their two team goalies Kaeden Lane and Colin Purcell.

"The one thing I'll say about our team is I think we're gonna be a hard working group. I don't know if we have really any superstars but we're gonna have a lot of really good hockey players and guys that care and that gets you a longways."

The 2021/22 regular season officially starts Oct. 8.