UPDATE: 'Walkey Hockey' coming to Langley

Walk, don’t run, to sign up for Langley’s newest sports league being offered this spring.

Langley resident Murray Cameron is introducing a co-ed “Walkey Hockey League” for players ages 50 and over. The league will start with eight teams as of Saturday, April 5 at 10 a.m. Cameron noted that as of March 13, there was room for six more players.

It’s street hockey with a twist. Players must walk and are not permitted to run or even jog during games that will be played outdoors.

The league will run for six weeks. It's low impact, non-contact but gives people a bit of competition.

Four-on-four games involving teams made up of five players each will be 40 minutes long.

“The benefits include weight loss, improved blood pressure, and better sleep,” the 65-year-old Cameron said.

Cost is $40 per player and those over the age of 90 will be able to play for free.

Cameron said there won’t be goaltenders, and the nets will be smaller.

He’s driven to start the league by a concern with the number of overweight people today. Cameron believes playing low impact style hockey is one way of remedying this problem.

“People are out of shape,” Cameron said. “We need to get them back in shape.”

He is hoping to sign up between 32 and 40 players, which would equal into eight teams.

“Walkey Hockey” will include a referee, statistics, and standings.

Cameron hopes the league will re-ignite the spark for the kind of activities that were prevalent in days’ past, before computers, the Internet, and “iGadgets” became commonplace.

“I want to revamp interest in street hockey,” Cameron said.

He is excited about the possibilities that could come from this league.

“Can you imagine the potential?” Cameron said. “This could grow from Langley and into other communities.”

For more about the league, email Cameron at moocat@shaw.ca or at 778-241-7226.

The rules will be emailed to each player, Cameron noted.

The cost, $40, covers reffing and nibblies. The only equipment people need to bring is a regular hockey stick.

"You can get it at any flea market or thrift store," he said.

The games will be played in the rear lot of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormon Temple) at 20030 82nd Ave.

HOCKEY SONGS

Under the pseudonym “Bobby Orbison”, Cameron has channeled his inner Stompin Tom Connors, the late Canadian folksinger who wrote and sang the iconic The Hockey Song.

Cameron wrote and recorded We Are Canadians, a CD consisting of 11 hockey-themed songs, entitled.

The CD was released on Nov. 13.

Titles include Hockey Concussion Blues, Sherwood Hockey Stick, Brad Marchand, First Nations Song, The Streets Are in Silence, Syl Apps, Give It up, Goon Two Too, Jordan Kremyr, and Bobby Ore Meets Santa Claus.

The songs as well as the entire record is available on iTunes and on Amazon.com.