News

The Eastern Ontario A-AA Cobras association, who partnered this year with the Eastern Ontario AAA Wild, celebrated an annual joint Cobras / Wild Day November 12, 2011 at the new Canadian International Hockey Academy in Rockland Ontario.  During this day all AA and AAA competitive teams from Atom to Midget played back-to-back hockey in one arena.    It gave players and parents the opportunity to see one other as well as old friends whom they do not often have the chance to see, given that teams skate at different arenas throughout the Prescott Russell townships during the season. 

This year the Cobras and Wild brought in over 800 people through the doors of the CIH Academy.  For many, this was the first time visiting the new CIH Academy which is proud of its designation as Hockey Canada’s Eastern Ontario training centre, and accordingly CIH Academy has a 10-year memorandum of understanding with Hockey Canada.

Cobra Day is the central fundraiser for the Eastern Ontario Cobras Hockey association.  This year’s silent auction was bigger and better with exciting items such as Prince Tickets generously donated by Helix Hearing Centre, Spa packages, Duct cleaning from Ryan Mechanical, Selects hockey camp, local Rockland Artists and many many other exciting prizes.  The bake sale turned out to be a big hit offering such goodies as Jean Bernard’s famous sugar pies and our local St. Albert cheese curds which were flying off the table. The kids prize table was a major hit with all the kids that passed by.  

The Cobra Day committee is always amazed and genuinely touched by the generosity of so many local businesses offering all teams discounts at their businesses.  Café de Joel was brewing up delicious coffee, Boston Pizza was inviting teams for free pizza and local sports stores were offering free skate sharpening and discounts for stopping in.

Hockey wasn’t the only thing on the agenda; the day was also an opportunity for the Cobra’s to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Wild was collecting food for the Food Bank.  The associations also invited special guests from OEMHL, ODMHA, ODHA and district 3.  The mayor of Rockland Marcel Guilbord and Jean Marc Lalonde were on hand for the ceremonial puck drop between the Cobras Minor Peewee and Seaway Valley Captains, and the Minor Midget Wild AAA team and the Ottawa 67’s.

All the Cobra teams played their best.  Out of 7 games, the Cobra’s walked away with 4 wins, one tie and 2 losses.  Out of 4 games for the Wild they ended with 2 wins and 2 losses.

The visiting teams were happy to take part in the activities, with many of the silent auction prizes being won by them.  Teams were awarded hardest worker and player of the game for all games played against the Cobras.  

The day was a great success with the Cobras association, raising over $2000.00.  The hard work and great dedication they had from all the volunteers including many dedicated high school students who stayed the whole day making announcements, or playing the music made the day possible.  The generous donations from so many sponsors are what made this fundraiser and event so successful.   The event committee is looking forward to next year for another great event knowing that it will be an even bigger day.