New Owner For BCHL Team

The BC Hockey League’s West Kelowna Warriors have new ownership.

KD Sports headed by Kim Dobranski and a minority silent partner have taken over operations from nine-year owner Mark Cheyne.

“I am very excited to work towards developing a sustainable business model where the community can participate and take ownership in this team,” says Dobranski, Warriors Owner and President. “Our division and the BCHL is the top league to play and enjoy Junior Hockey in Canada and we are very fortunate to have this caliber of hockey in our back yard. Communities thrive socially and economically when they adopt a sports team and teams such as the Warriors also help build a sense of identity for a community.”

Dobranski says they’re calling on the public and business community to back the team by buying season tickets or sponsoring and volunteering at games.

The West Kelowna Warriors Hockey Society has been established in correlation with the new ownership, allowing members of the community to be more involved than ever before.

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“This organization is not about any one person, it’s about the community it resides in, the players who come here and represent us, many of them local kids, and our collective role in sport producing good citizens for our communities,” said Dobranski, “This franchise existed long before, and it will continue to exist long after, continuing the good work the BCHL does in our communities.”

This season is the franchise’s 25th, beginning in 1994 as the Langley Thunder before moving to the Westside in 2006 when Mark Cheyne took over the team. The name changed to the West Kelowna Warriors in 2012, where it remains presently.

The Warriors will open their season with a home-and-home against the Trail Smoke Eaters on Friday, September 7th.

The home opener for the Warriors comes on Saturday, September 8th when they host the Smoke Eaters.