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Former Westside Warriors co-captain Joel Woznikoski is off to SAIT this fall. (File photo Chris Stanford)
By Pieter Uni
Joel Woznikoski has found a new home.
After spending the last four years patrolling the blueline for the Westside Warriors, Woznikoski will make his way over the Rocky Mountains to Calgary this August, after committing to Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) beginning in the fall of 2010.
For the White Rock native, joining a prestigious program in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference was an easy decision.
“There were options back east and in Alberta, but I checked out the campus during a visit last week and it is an unbelievable school,” said Woznikoski. “I think playing in such a good league while going to school is the best situation.”
Warriors head coach Darren Yopyk said he felt Woznikoski made a terrific choice in selecting SAIT.
“The Warriors would like to congratulate Joel and his family on his commitment to SAIT,” said Yopyk. “He will have a tremendous opportunity to further not only his hockey career, but also his education. SAIT is an excellent program in the ACAC and I am confident that Joel will have a tremendous impact on the hockey program and the campus as a whole.”
Joining a Trojans team that has won four consecutive ACAC Conference championships, Woznikoski is excited to play for a perennial winner while pursuing a degree in business management.
“It will be nice to be the team everyone is chasing,” said the 2009-10 Warriors co-captain. “Head coach Ken Babey runs an excellent program and it seems like a great fit.”
Yopyk said Woznikoski will be missed, and not just on the ice.
“He is a good person, period,” said Yopyk. “He was great on the ice, but he was great off it as well, his involvement with the Cancer Society campaign was great for him, our organization… and those fighting cancer.”
During his fourth and final season, Woznikoski partnered with the Warriors and the Canadian Cancer Society by donating $2 out of his own pocket for every goal the Warriors scored in the first 30 games of the BCHL season to the Canadian Cancer Society.
That spawned a special fundraising evening when the Warriors donned special pink and white jerseys for one home game, shirts that were auctioned off after the game. The event raised more than $10,000 for cancer research.
Woznikoski played in 196 games through four seasons in the BCHL, scoring 43 points and racking up 550 penalty minutes and while he is excited to begin a new chapter in his life, he said he will miss West Kelowna.
“It is going to be difficult to leave my billets, the Nagles have turned into my second parents,” he said, adding that he was very appreciative of all the support he received from the fans, the coaches and trainers and the front office of the Warriors.
“But the hardest part will be leaving the guys,” said Woznikoski. “I have never made so many friends in one place before.”
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Tags: ACAC, BCHL, Joel Woznikoski, SAIT, Westside Warriors
