Teams from across Canada, U.S. drop puck on massive Penticton hockey tournament

Published 4:10 pm Saturday, March 7, 2026

Thousands of student-athletes and visitors have arrived in Penticton for the 2026 Canadian Sport School Hockey League Western Championships.

A total of 106 teams are in the city for the event, which began on Saturday, March 7.

Action on the ice — at the South Okanagan Events Centre, Memorial Arena and Okanagan Hockey Training Centre — wraps up on March 22.

Okanagan Hockey Academy U17 and U18 teams were among those in action on the opening day of the event.

Teams at the tournament are representing hockey academies across Western Canada and the U.S. states of Idaho and Washington.

Champions this year will be crowned in the U15, U15 Prep, U17, U17 Prep, U18 Prep and Female U18 Prep divisions.

This marks the 11th time Penticton has hosted the tournament, which features 196 games.

In 2025, it brought more than 7,000 people to the city over two weeks and a record $6.725 million in local economic impact.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at valleyfirsttix.com or at the SOEC box office. Admission is free for attendees aged 18 and under.