It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of the Legend of the hockey tournament. Dr Will Cawkell started the tournament in Lumby in 1983, when it had only four teams of doctors from Vancouver, Kamloops, Kelowna, and Vernon. Dr Cawkell, completed medical school at University of Toronto ( 1964) , did internship at Cook County in Chicago, followed by overseas work in Algeria and Malaysia, before settling in Lumby ( 1968) to do family medicine and GP Anaesthesia. He eventually settled in Vernon to complete 43 yrs of Family medicine until he retired in March 2016. As a longtime hockey fan, short time former pro in Europe, and a stalwart in Old Timers Hockey in Vernon, Dr. Cawkell aptly named one of the teams in the tournament after the fictitious Lumby General Hospital (in a community that only sports a health centre), a team he played and coached on for over three decades. Dr Cawkell always incorporated his love for hockey and his love for medicine into this event. Through Will‘s vision of this Tournament, he was able to carry out the goals. To provide an opportunity to gather colleagues in a physician-focused environment, centred around a shared love of hockey, to collaborate socially and clinically. Also, to provide the opportunity for residents and students to connect with practising physicians. More seasoned physicians can speak to them on their experience in this fulfilling career, establish contacts and provide leadership. All this was accomplished from Will’s efforts in the early 80’s to get four communities together to play some hockey.

2023 Tournament will be March 3rd and 4th! Team Registration opens NOVEMBER 1, 2022!! Players will be able to register individually NOVEMBER 15, 2022.