From Flyers Coach Kelvin Cech:
The Flyers have called Winkler home since 1980 when current governor Dan Giesbrecht brought junior hockey to our sleepy little town.
A lot has changed in the 49 years since. Winkler has grown by leaps and bounds. Take a walk around town – local business has thrived, ebbed, flowed, and passed from generation to generation. In fact, the one constant in Winkler is change. Blue collars and white ones too are blurred in this town – most of the people who own the businesses are running the drill, swinging the hammer, or sewing my suit pants. Can we all agree that in the absence of blue and white collars, orange looks best?
I’ve only been here a year, and that’s barely long enough to comprehend the depth, culture, and heart of Winkler. But it’s been long enough for my neighbour, a young mother of three, to hand-deliver soup, cookies, and home-made cake. So yeah, this place is incredible.
Today we launch the fifth decade of Flyers hockey, and we do so with a new crest designed to celebrate the traditions that make Winkler strong. We wanted to stay true to the identity that put the Flyers on the map in the Pembina Valley, the identity that started with Dan Giesbrecht in 1980. We also wanted to push forward in a bright new direction, and there’s nothing brighter than the raging flames of Flyer orange.
We skate every day in the shadow of the Winkler water tower, a dwindling staple in our town and so many others across the prairies. Even though the tower might not be here forever, with our new crest, it actually will be. And so will the Flyers.
This is the first step in a new brand design. Later this summer we’ll unveil new uniforms and new apparel. The design was created and directed by Alice Karolina, make sure to check out her work.
Lastly, it’s no secret that the timeline of hockey’s return to Winkler, Canada, and the world, is a secret. We stand strong in support of our healthcare workers and those putting themselves at risk to keep society’s engine revving – the grocery workers at Co-op, gas station attendants, and the essential services trying to stay safe during a world-changing event. Hang in there, and while we don’t know exactly when it will be, we know we’ll see you all again soon.
We’ll be the ones in orange.