Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament
2009 tournament game action
Genre	Minor ice hockey
Frequency	Annually in February
Venue	Videotron Centre
Location(s)	Quebec City, Quebec
Country	Canada
Inaugurated	1960
Founders	Gérard Bolduc, Paul Dumont and others

The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament (known in French as Tournoi international de hockey pee-wee de Québec) is a huge yearly ice hockey event. It takes place in Quebec City, Canada. This tournament was started in 1960. Its main goal was to let young hockey players, under 12 years old, compete against teams from all over the world.

The tournament happens every February. It is now held at the Videotron Centre. Before that, it was at the Quebec Coliseum for 56 years. Many famous hockey players have played here. Over 1,200 future professional players have shown their skills at this event. The tournament also helps raise money for a local charity called Patro Roc-Amadour. Most of the work is done by amazing volunteers.

Tournament History: A Look Back

Early Years (1960-1974)

Gérard Bolduc got the idea for the tournament after visiting other youth hockey events. He started the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament in 1960. He worked with Paul Dumont and others. Bolduc was the first president until 1974. The tournament quickly became a fun part of the yearly Quebec Winter Carnival.

The first tournament had 28 teams. Most were local, but some came from Boston, Toronto, and Newfoundland. The very first game was played on February 20, 1960. It was held at Quebec Arena. People in Quebec City loved the event. It was for charity and brought minor hockey to a big arena. Over 12,500 fans came in the first week. The final game moved to the Quebec Coliseum. It drew 7,235 fans! The first champion was the Scarborough Lions team in 1960.

Quebec Coliseum was home to the tournament from 1960 to 2015.

From 1960 on, every tournament was held at the Quebec Coliseum. The tournament had four divisions: AA, A, B, and C. There was one overall champion. By 1962, 54 teams played. They came from Ontario, Alberta, and the United States. Future hockey legend Guy Lafleur played in three tournaments. He scored an amazing 64 goals! A local team called the Quebec Beavers became a crowd favorite. This helped bring in even more fans.

In 1965, the Gérard Bolduc trophy was created. It was given to the AA division winners. In 1969, the tournament celebrated its 10th anniversary. A book was written about its amazing story. A team from Princeville, Quebec, won the championship that year. This was the first time a team from the host province won.

The 1970s started with 102 teams. New teams came from France and West Germany. Bolduc even tried to get a team from the Soviet Union. In 1974, a young player named Wayne Gretzky scored 26 goals. He played for Brantford. After that year, Bolduc stepped down as president.

Growth and Milestones (1975-1999)

Quebec International Peewee Hockey Tournament 25th anniversary plaque at the Quebec Coliseum

In 1975, Alex Légaré became the new president. He led the tournament until 1999. In 1976, a new International Cup division began. Légaré wanted the tournament to be more independent. So, it moved away from being a direct partner with the Quebec Winter Carnival. He also started the American Cup in 1980 and the Quebec Cup in 1981. These were later combined into the International Cup.

The tournament celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1984. A special plaque was put up at the Quebec Coliseum. That year, Manon Rhéaume made history. She became the first female goalie to play for a boys' team in the tournament. Special rules were made so she could play. In 1989, teams from the Soviet Union and Japan joined the tournament. The final game in 1990 had nearly 8,000 fans.

The 1990s saw strong teams from Europe. This made the tournament even more exciting. By its 35th anniversary in 1994, 115 teams from 12 countries played. Nearly 200,000 people came to watch. In 1999, a new attendance record was set. Over 211,000 people watched the games!

Modern Era (2000-Present)

Videotron Centre has been home to the tournament since 2016.

In 2001, the tournament dates changed. They no longer happened at the same time as the Quebec Winter Carnival. This was done to get more people to attend. The 50th anniversary in 2009 was a big celebration. A special "legends game" was played. It featured former players who had retired from professional hockey. In 2011, Australia sent a team. This was the first team from Oceania to play.

The 57th tournament in 2016 moved to its new home. It is now played at the Videotron Centre. This was after many years at the Quebec Coliseum. In 2016, a team made up entirely of girls played for the first time. This all-star team from Québec played in the AA division. Canadian Olympic hockey players Caroline Ouellette, Marie-Philip Poulin, and Kim St-Pierre coached them.

By 2016, over 300 teams wanted to play. This was a 20% increase from 2015. Many teams come from Quebec. About 20% of teams who apply cannot play due to high demand. Also in 2016, teams from Russia were not allowed to play. This was because of "disruptive and disrespectful" behavior. The 2021 tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Community Impact

Commemorative display case in the Quebec Coliseum for the Quebec International Peewee Hockey Tournament

Many people say that the tournament's volunteers are key to its worldwide fame. The event's organizer, Patrick Dom, said that "the soul of this tournament is the volunteers, the sponsors and the crowd." Money raised from the tournament has helped the Patro Roc-Amadour charity since 1960. In its first 50 years, over $2.1 million was given to this foundation. Patro Roc-Amadour also has the tournament's museum. It shows pictures and trophies from the event. The tournament brings a lot of money to the community. It was estimated to be $14 million in 2008, and $17 million by 2016.

Player Experience

Players often say the tournament is a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." For many, it is their first time playing in a big arena. They get to play in front of crowds of 10,000 fans or more. For European players, it is sometimes their first trip to North America. Some people even call the tournament the "Pee-Wee World Championships."

Tournament organizers try to find host family homes for visiting players. This helps lower the high cost of travel. Some teams have to do a lot of fundraising to afford to play.

The tournament also lets players experience French Canadian culture. They can visit Old Quebec, the Citadelle of Quebec, and the Winter Carnival. They also get to try other winter sports. Players meet other young people from around the world. They often trade and collect lapel pins as souvenirs.

Notable Participants

The tournament keeps a list of former players who later played in the National Hockey League (NHL) or the World Hockey Association (WHA). As of 2018, this list includes 1,246 people. From the 2017 list of the 100 Greatest NHL Players, twenty of them played in this tournament!

Mario Lemieux as the honorary coach of the Pittsburgh team at the 2009 tournament

Legends game at the 2009 tournament

100 Greatest NHL Players – who played in the tournament